Healthcare Systems Receive Cyberattack Alert

The nation’s healthcare systems continue to upgrade their information technology defenses against increasing cyberattacks that often seek access to valuable patient data, among other goals. Now, the Office of Information Security with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a brief warning the healthcare sector about the possible threat Iranian hackers might pose to the healthcare industry. The brief highlighted five things to know about Iranian hacker groups: 

• Iranian threat groups such as Pioneer Kitten, UNC3890 and Magic Kitten are known to target the healthcare sector. 
• In June, Christopher Wray, director of the FBI, revealed that Iranian government-backed hackers attempted to execute a cyberattack against Boston Children's Hospital. 
• Iranian hackers have been known to engage in website defacement, malware, theft of personally identifiable information, spear phishing and distributed denial-of-service attacks against their victims. 
• These groups are also known for wiper malware, as well as retaliatory attack strategies. 
• HHS recommends that healthcare organizations implement user training, especially regarding phishing and other types of social engineering in order to mitigate attacks from Iranian-backed hackers.