I've been following cybersecurity for quite a while now, and every so often a story comes along that really gets my attention. This is definitely one of those stories.
The hacking group known as ShinyHunters is claiming to have breached the FBI and stolen sensitive information about thousands of FBI agents, employees, and job applicants. Yes, you read that correctly. The FBI. The same organization that investigates cybercrime and helps protect the rest of us from hackers is now investigating a possible breach of its own systems. And while this story is still developing, I think there are some important lessons here for all of us in dentistry.
What Happened?
On September 22, ShinyHunters announced that it had compromised FBI systems and obtained sensitive personal information about current and former employees, as well as individuals who had applied for jobs with the agency.
The group reportedly provided journalists with a sample of approximately 5,000 records containing information such as names, home addresses, telephone numbers, and details about family members.
The FBI has acknowledged that it is investigating claims of unauthorized activity involving its FBIjobs.gov website. However, the full extent of the alleged breach has not been independently established.
The hackers also claim that the attack was retaliation for an FBI cybersecurity warning issued earlier this year that described the group's activities and tactics. Rather than demanding money, ShinyHunters has reportedly demanded that the FBI retract or correct that warning. That's certainly an unusual twist on a cybersecurity story!
What Does This Have to Do With Dentistry?
You might be wondering why I'm discussing an FBI cybersecurity incident on the blog today.
Here's why.
If an organization with the resources and cybersecurity expertise of the FBI can potentially experience a significant breach, what does that tell us about the risks facing the average dental practice? Think about everything connected to your practice network. Your practice management software, digital radiography systems, intraoral scanners, insurance billing services, cloud storage, and even your email.
Every one of those systems represents another potential entry point for someone attempting to access your network or patient information. And the risk doesn't necessarily stop at your office walls.
As we've recently seen with the reported eAssist cybersecurity incident, companies that provide services to dental practices can also become targets. You may have excellent security in your office, but what about the companies that have access to your systems and patient records? That's something every dentist needs to consider.
What Can We Do?
I'm certainly not suggesting that we abandon technology. Anyone who knows me understands that I believe technology has made dentistry better in countless ways. However, we need to take cybersecurity just as seriously as we take infection control.
That means working with knowledgeable IT professionals, keeping software updated, using multifactor authentication, maintaining secure backups, and making sure our teams understand how to recognize suspicious emails and other potential threats.
It also means asking the companies we work with some important questions about how they're protecting our information.
We don't need to become cybersecurity experts, but we do need to understand that protecting patient information is part of our responsibility as healthcare providers.
The Bottom Line
The FBI incident is still being investigated, and we'll undoubtedly learn more about what happened in the coming days. But regardless of the final outcome, the message for dentistry is clear. Cybersecurity is no longer something we can afford to think about only when something goes wrong. We spend a tremendous amount of time and effort protecting our patients clinically. We need to apply that same commitment to protecting their personal information. Because at the end of the day, our patients trust us with more than just their oral health.
And that trust deserves to be protected.
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