Content by Marianne Kolbasuk McGee

Romanian Charged in Multiple U.S. Hacks

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 24, 2015

A former systems administrator at a Romanian financial services institution has been extradited to the U.S. and charged with orchestrating an international hacking scheme that included attacks on medical offices, retailers and security firms.

Security Audit of Premera Found Issues

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 19, 2015

Federal regulators issued a report about weaknesses found in an audit of Premera Blue Cross' systems about a month before an attack by hackers against the health insurer apparently started. Could those weaknesses have opened the door to an attack?

Why Are Health Insurers Hacker Targets?

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 18, 2015

The massive cyber-attacks targeting health insurers Premera Blue Cross and Anthem Inc. make it clear that hackers increasingly view large healthcare organizations, especially payers, as attractive targets.

Another Massive Health Data Hack

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 17, 2015

Premera Blue Cross is notifying 11 million individuals about a cyber-attack that exposed personal information. The breach comes on the heels of the massive hack attack against Anthem, which runs Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans.

11 Arrested in Insider ID Theft Scheme

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 11, 2015

A former customer service representative at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is among 11 individuals recently arrested in connection with an alleged identity theft scheme that resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in credit fraud.

Cyber-Insurance: How Much Is Enough?

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  February 16, 2015

Mega-breaches, including the recent hacking attack on Anthem Inc. always result in an uptick of interest in cyber-insurance, but determining how much coverage to buy is an ongoing challenge, says data privacy attorney Marc Voses.

Why 'Adaptive Defense' Is Critical

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  February 12, 2015

As hack attacks, such as the breach of Anthem Inc., become more common, it's more critical than ever for organizations to carry out an "adaptive defense model" to protect sensitive information, says Dave Merkel, chief technology officer at FireEye.

Anthem Breach Sounds a Healthcare Alarm

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  February 5, 2015

The massive cyber-attack against health insurer Anthem makes it crystal clear that the healthcare sector has become a new favorite target for hackers. So what needs to be done to defend against hacks?

VASCO CEO on Authentication Trends

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  January 26, 2015

The increase in sophisticated hacking attacks will lead other sectors to follow the lead of the financial services industry in implementing multifactor authentication, says Ken Hunt, CEO of VASCO Data Security International.

Fidelis CEO on Breach Response

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  January 8, 2015

Ninety percent of even the largest global firms are susceptible to targeted attacks. And if adversaries want to get in, they can, says Peter George, CEO of Fidelis Security Systems, who discusses new security strategies.

AirWatch Chairman on Mobile Security

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  December 12, 2014

Financial transactions on smart phones require layered security that helps outsmart cyberthieves, says Alan Dabbiere, chairman of AirWatch, who describes today's mobile challenges.

FTC Calls for Data Broker Transparency

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  May 29, 2014

The FTC is urging Congress to enact privacy legislation that would provide consumers with more transparency about the activities of data brokers that collect sensitive health and financial data.

Measuring Healthcare InfoSec Competency

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 3, 2014

Information security and privacy work in healthcare environments often requires a depth of specialized knowledge and competency that can be validated through the help of professional credentialing, says CISO Sean Murphy.

Baking Privacy Into Health IT

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  February 12, 2014

Editor's Note: Excerpts of this interview appear in ISMG's Security Agenda magazine, distributed at RSA Conference 2014. Privacy should be built into the design of all healthcare information technology and related processes, says Michelle Dennedy, who's writing a book on the concept of "privacy by design."

Pressure to Protect Health Data Intensifies

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  February 5, 2014

Covered entities and business associates will be under heightened data privacy and security scrutiny in 2014. But experts say there are several basic steps those organizations can take to ensure HIPAA compliance.