October 2024 OCR Cybersecurity Newsletter How to Minimize Cyber Threats from Social Engineering

On October 25, 2024, the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (OCR) published its October 2024 Cybersecurity Newsletter. The Newsletter provides valuable information on how to minimize cyber threats from “social engineering”, which is defined as “an attempt to trick someone into revealing information (e.g., a password) that can be used to attack systems or networks or taking an action (e.g., clicking a link, opening a document)”. Attackers attempt to convince someone to engage in actions or reveal information that can put themselves and their organizations at risk.

The HIPAA Security Rule requires covered entities to prevent or mitigate threats posed by social engineering. The Newsletter discusses common social engineering threats, such as phishing and baiting, and how individuals and HIPAA-covered entities can defend against them. It is worth a read.

For our OSHA Review subscribers… for more information on HIPAA compliance, please refer to the July/August 2022 Training Document in Section X of your OSHA Review binder.

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