FBI launches campaign to protect hospitals, other critical infrastructure against cyberattacks

The FBI has launched a two-month campaign, Operation Winter SHIELD (Securing Homeland Infrastructure by Enhancing Layered Defense), highlighting 10 actions organizations can use to protect against cyberattacks. The recommendations were developed with domestic and international partners and based on recent cyber investigations to reflect adversary behavior and defensive gaps. The recommendations include adopting phish-resistant authentication, implementing a risk-based vulnerability management program, tracking and retiring end-of-life technology on a defined schedule, and managing third-party risk, among others.

“Operation Winter SHIELD is based on lessons learned from the most significant nation state and criminal cyber investigations,” said John Riggi, AHA national advisor for cybersecurity and risk. “In sum, agencies involved focused on the most common methodologies threat actors are using to ‘beat us,’ and what cyber defensive measures are the most effective at reducing cyber risk and increasing resiliency and recovery. There is nothing surprising on the list, but the landmark campaign serves as an excellent validation and a concise summary of cybersecurity best practices. Operation Winter SHIELD also acknowledges the private sector’s crucial role in defending the nation’s critical infrastructure against the very real and very serious cyber threats we face as a nation.”

For more information on this or other cyber and risk issues, contact Riggi at jriggi@aha.org. For the latest cyber and risk resources and threat intelligence, visit aha.org/cybersecurity.