A National Cyber Alert was released by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, an operational unit of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The Alert is related to the potential for increased cyberattacks from Iran in response to the recent military action and drone strike in Baghdad, Iraq. This Alert was designed to prevent cyberattacks that threaten a patient’s privacy and the security of health information we safeguard and protect.
Acting Secretary of the DHS, Chad Wolf, said “While no specific, credible threats against the United States have been identified so far, the DHS will continue to monitor the situation and will be working with local, state, and federal partners.” Locally, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office also released a statement saying, “While there is no specific, credible threat, we must all remain vigilant and prepared.”
If you see something suspicious, please report it to your supervisor, Michael Sciortino, Chief General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer, Rick Travers, CTO, or Trevor Wade, Information Security Officer. Please do not delay in reporting any suspicious activity. This is a heightened time for attempts at phishing, ransomware, and wiper malware. Please do not click on any links without hovering your cursor over the link first to confirm it is legitimate . If you believe that an email, link, or attachment is suspicious, please click the “Phish Alert” button on the top right of the email and our Security Team will review it for you promptly.
If you have questions on the privacy and security of health information, please contact Michael Sciortino.