DailyPost 2768
AND NOW HEALTH DATA HACK!
Investigation of crime is a state duty and they should have the wherewithal to do it, with predictability and concrete results. It can be any crime from terrorism to money laundering to newer and newer areas of cybercrime. This does not seem to the case when it comes to cyber-crime and it has for long remained unattended. Large level in-house expertise needs to be created in the investigative agencies, to bring in a semblance of battle or retort to the hackers. If the gap becomes huge, it would a bad spectacle of government being bystanders. Outside experts and tools can be made a part of the investigative ecosystem, but the core has to be of the investigative agencies.
This visible gap with the lack of global collaboration, though we see some nascent moves, has emboldened the bad actors of the cyber world to call shots at their whims and fancy all across the globe. Hacking and more so ransomware happens to be the most sought-after criminal business with nearly no chances of detection, leave aside full proof investigation and the imaginary world of conviction as far as these crimes are concerned. Thus, we one more major hack in the US.
United Health Group on Monday made public that hackers stole health and personal data of “substantial proportion” of Americans from its systems in February. This group is the largest insurer in the US and is desperately trying to contain the damage. As per the details put in the public domain the intrusion took place at its Change Healthcare unit, which processes an astounding 50% of the US medical claims. For sure, seeing the likely damage, it would be one of the worst hacks in history of the American healthcare. It has led to widespread disruption in services.
The payment to doctors and health facilities have been impacted. The patients’ healthcare information remains vulnerable. From the initial information of the hack it is believed that the “compromised data showed showed files with protected health information or PII.” This nature of leak could cover a substantial proportion of the people of America. This sort of an information put in wrong hands can do immense danger to any of the persons impacted, can be sold for a price and a huge amount of ransom can also be extracted. The signs are disturbing. It is battle of attrition, an ongoing cyber war, and state has to act with its full might.
LEAK OF MEDICAL DATA OPENS MULTIFARIOUS DETRIMENTAL IMPACTS FOR THE PEOPLE AFFECTED.
Sanjay Sahay
Have a nice evening.