cybersecurity Archives - Page 8 of 8

Latest OCR Reminder Regarding Mobile Device Security and PHI

With the ever-increasing use of mobile devices in the workplace that create, receive, maintain, and transmit electronic protected health information (ePHI), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR)’s latest Cybersecurity Newsletter issued an important reminder of the importance of mitigating the risks surrounding the use of mobile devices.

Mobile devices pose unique security risks because of their portability, small physical size, and capacity to store vast amounts of data. Both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and OCR frequently remind all organizations, but especially those entities that process ePHI, of the importance of protecting data on mobile devices.

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Department of Education Posts CyberAdvisory on Extortion and Student Data Threats

Acknowledging that schools have “long been targets for cyber thieves,” the Federal Student Aid Office (FSA) of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) posted an alert on October 16, warning school districts and other educational institutions of criminal extortion schemes threatening to release sensitive student data. Recent, similar cyberattacks in Montana and Iowa are being investigated by the FBI.

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Legislative Spotlight: Self-Driving Cars Part 1

The House of Representatives passed H.R. 3388, the “Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research in Vehicle Evolution Act” or the “SELF DRIVE Act” last month. The bill would remove regulatory barriers to develop self-driving or autonomous cars by giving the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) authority to establish federal safety, design, and performance standards for automated cars, excluding commercial vehicles, such as trucks and buses. States would still be responsible for the vehicle registration, driver’s licensing, insurance, and safety and emissions inspections. The bill would also allow states to impose stricter performance requirements than those set by NHTSA.

We have outlined the privacy and cybersecurity provisions of this bill, as well as the NHTSA’s voluntary security standards for self-driving cars.

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U.S. Government Restricts the Use of Kaspersky Cybersecurity Software

Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a binding order restricting the government’s use of cybersecurity software developed by Moscow-based Kaspersky Labs.

Government departments and agencies have 90 days to remove or discontinue use of any Kaspersky Labs software products—but the buck doesn’t stop there. Kaspersky boasts more than 400 million users and 270,000 corporate clients, meaning organizations that provide any services involving federal information systems would be wise to investigate whether they, either directly or indirectly, use Kaspersky products and services. Continue reading “U.S. Government Restricts the Use of Kaspersky Cybersecurity Software”

Delaware Amends Data Breach Notification Law

Delaware recently amended its data breach notification laws through House Bill 180, which now expands the definition of breach and personal information. It is now among 14 states to impose explicit data security obligations on businesses. While revisions to the law are in some ways more stringent, they are also more balanced by including a risk of harm requirement.

Under the amended law, which will go into effect on April 14, 2018, the definition of breach has been expanded to include not only unauthorized acquisition, but also disclosure of electronic or paper files, media, databases or other data. The law also broadens the scope of personal information to include user name or email address, in combination with a password or security question, and answer medical information, and unique biometric data.

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Fact Sheet: NYDFS Cyber Regulations

The New York Department of Financial Services’ Cyber Requirements for Financial Services Companies, 23 NYCRR 500 (“Cyber Regulations”) went into effect on March 1, 2017. The Cyber Regulations are intended to require financial companies to assess their internal cybersecurity risks and develop a cybersecurity program to protect customer information and their IT systems, as well as respond, recover, and report cyber threats. The Cyber Regulations establish a comprehensive set of proactive cybersecurity standards for companies to follow, involving everything from appointing a designated Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to submitting an annual compliance notice, and conducting penetration testing and vulnerability assessments.

Here is an overview of some key terms, requirements and deadlines under these new regulations.

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DISCERNING DATA

A Faegre Drinker Blog Covering the Latest in Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Strategy

Tag: cybersecurity