As a working adult in the Kansas City area, it’s highly possible that your health insurance provider is Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City. If so, you may have recently received a letter from the company highlighting the fact that one of its service providers was hit with a data breach. Therefore, your member information may have potentially been exposed.
Last night, KSHB 41, the local NBC news affiliate, covered the story in depth. Read the complete story available on KSHB’s website, or click on the image below.
Video by KSHB
Though data breaches, particularly of medical records, are often thought of as a way for hackers to commit identity theft, this incident shows that the goal of such cybercrime may now be to blackmail patients for money. Hackers are contacting patients whose records have been accessed and demanding a ransom in exchange for the return of data. But obviously, there is no guarantee of recovering anything stolen.
Unfortunately, this occurrence isn’t an isolated event. In fact, KSHB’s story notes that more than two dozen hospitals in Kansas and Missouri alone have been affected by recent breaches. Despite the pervasiveness of such cybercrime, we often hear from individuals and companies who’ve adopted the “it can’t happen to me or my business” mindset. In truth, these kinds of incidents happening locally are a friendly reminder that data security absolutely must be a priority for every business in operation today. No matter your size or industry, you could be the target of a malicious attack that hurts not only your reputation, but your customers/clients and your bottom line.
As mobility in the enterprise contributes to the risk companies face in securing their data, Tech Orchard is proud to have established relationships with AirWatch by VMware, the leading enterprise mobility management (EMM) platform available and Check Point Software Technologies, Ltd., a recognized leader in mobile threat prevention (MTP).
To learn more about how you can incorporate these solutions successfully in your business, contact our team today.
Phil Poje | CEO, TechOrchard
A serial entrepreneur with more than 30 years of executive leadership and ownership experience, Phil has a unique understanding of the challenges that exist within the rapidly growing technology sector. Contact him directly at phil@techorchard.com to discuss innovative ways for overcoming those challenges and propelling your organization to new levels of success.
