Marianne Kolbasuk McGee

Executive Editor, HealthcareInfoSecurity, ISMG

McGee is executive editor of Information Security Media Group's HealthcareInfoSecurity.com media site. She has about 30 years of IT journalism experience, with a focus on healthcare information technology issues for more than 15 years. Before joining ISMG in 2012, she was a reporter at InformationWeek magazine and news site and played a lead role in the launch of InformationWeek's healthcare IT media site.

An FDA First: Cyber Recall for Implantable Device

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • August 29, 2017

The FDA on Tuesday issued an alert about a voluntary recall by a manufacturer of a network-connected implantable device due to cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Nearly 500,000 of the cardiac pacemakers from St. Jude Medical, now owned by Abbott Laboratories, are in use in the U.S.

Anthem Breach Settlement 1 Step Closer to Final

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • August 28, 2017

A federal judge has granted preliminary approval for an amended $115 million settlement in the class action lawsuit over the 2015 cyberattack on Anthem, which resulted in a breach impacting nearly 79 million individuals. An amendment frees certain others from liability in the case.

Aetna Mailing Mishap Exposes HIV Drug Information

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • August 25, 2017

An incident involving HIV information being potentially visible through envelope windows on thousands of letters mailed to members of Aetna's pharmacy benefits plans is an important reminder that even routine mailings present privacy risks.

Hacker Group Releases Stolen Health Records

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • August 24, 2017

With claims of wanting to dispel "the myth about doping-free football," the Russian-linked hacker group Fancy Bear has released health records related to alleged drug use of more than 150 soccer players worldwide. What's the message they're sending?

Analysis: The Merits of Medical Device Security Legislation

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • August 23, 2017

Could proposed legislation force manufacturers and healthcare entities to put more effort into bolstering the cybersecurity of medical devices? In an interview, cybersecurity expert Joshua Corman provides in-depth analysis on the movement to improve the state of medical device security.

OIG Finds Security Weaknesses in Two More Medicaid Programs

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • August 22, 2017

Two new reports by a federal watchdog agency hit a familiar theme: Some state Medicaid systems have weaknesses that potentially put sensitive data and government operations at risk.

Did a Hacker Steal Over 1 Million UK Health Records?

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • August 21, 2017

A U.K. tabloid newspaper is reporting that a contractor that provides services to the National Health System has been attacked by a hacker who claims to have stolen 1.2 million patient records. But the contractor claims it was the victim of a much smaller breach and no patient records were accessed.

Medical Device Cybersecurity: Legal Concerns

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • August 17, 2017

Healthcare organizations need to consider a number of legal issues when it comes to cybersecurity incidents involving medical devices, attorney Thomas Barnard explains in an in-depth interview.

Improving the Cybersecurity of IoT, Medical Devices

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • August 15, 2017

How could the private sector benefit from steps federal agencies are taking to improve the cybersecurity of the internet of things and medical devices? In an in-depth interview, two experts at UL who are working closely with the agencies explain the potential impact.

Anthem Breach Lesson: Why Granular Access Control Matters

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • August 14, 2017

Healthcare organizations can learn important lessons - including the need for granular data access control - from the costly proposed settlement of the breach lawsuit against health insurer Anthem, says Bill Fox, a former federal prosecutor.

Texas Physician Gets 35-Year Sentence in Huge Fraud Scheme

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • August 11, 2017

A Dallas physician has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $268 million in restitution for his role in a huge Medicare and Medicaid fraud conspiracy involving billing for unnecessary home healthcare services.

Health Data Security: Making Progress?

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • August 10, 2017

Yet another survey confirms that despite high-profile cyber threats, many healthcare organizations still have relatively skimpy information security budgets - a continuing area of concern for CISOs. Find out how security practitioners and analysts interpret the results of the 2017 HIMSS Cybersecurity Survey.