In the wake of the international WannaCry ransomware attacks, U.S. Reps. Cedric Richmond (D-LA) and Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ) recently called upon the House Homeland Security Committee to hold hearings on the cybersecurity posture of the nation’s healthcare and lifeline sectors.
The malicious ransomware software recently infected more than 200,000 computer systems across multiple nations, forcing users to pay the equivalent of $300 in the cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, before users regain access to their files.
“Over the past few days we have watched as hospitals, utilities, factories, banks, and other essential service providers across the globe were crippled by a massive wave of ransomware attacks,” the congressmen said in a public letter. “Doctors lost access to patient data, medical procedures were cancelled, ambulances had to be re-routed, and hospitals were forced to turn people away. Incidents like this remind us of the vulnerability of our healthcare system and the interconnectedness of our lifeline sectors.”
The representatives also cited recent attacks against lifeline entities, including the electrical grid and 9-1-1 operations, as reason for their concerns as well as President Trump’s Executive Order agency requirement to identify capabilities and authorities to assist critical infrastructure would not be sufficient.
“The Homeland Security Committee must show that it stands ready to support the Department of Homeland Security and its interagency partners to make sure it has the resources necessary to carry out this crucial mission,” the congressmen said.