John Riggi, the American Hospital Association’s cybersecurity advisor, highlights the escalating cyber threat landscape due to artificial intelligence (AI) in an upcoming keynote at the HIMSS Healthcare Cybersecurity Forum. He discusses two critical threats: data theft by foreign entities and alarming ransomware attacks. Despite escalating challenges, hospitals are dedicating resources to cybersecurity. Riggi also underscores the AI-driven cyber arms race and stresses the need to address digital risks’ broader impact, aligning with government efforts. His talk addresses these concerns on September 7 in Boston.
John Riggi, the national advisor for cybersecurity and risk at the American Hospital Association (AHA), highlights the profound shift in the cyber threat landscape due to artificial intelligence (AI). In his upcoming keynote address at the HIMSS Healthcare Cybersecurity Forum, Riggi, who has a background in tackling criminal and national security threats, discusses the evolving challenges faced by hospitals and health systems.
Over the past five years, Riggi has been closely monitoring cyber threats impacting the AHA’s extensive membership of over 5,000 institutions. He has played a pivotal role in aiding organizations with critical tasks like responding to ransomware attacks and recovering from them. Drawing from his prior experience at the FBI and CIA, where he handled diverse threats, Riggi stresses the rising concerns surrounding intensified attacks on healthcare entities.
He outlines two main forms of threats: the first involves data theft orchestrated by foreign criminal groups and nation-state spies aiming to abscond with sensitive patient information and medical research. The second and more worrisome type entails high-impact ransomware attacks that cripple hospital networks, hindering clinicians’ access to vital patient data. Riggi underscores that these attacks frequently disrupt healthcare delivery, posing severe dangers to patients during emergencies like strokes, trauma, and heart attacks.
Despite the challenges, there is a silver lining: Hospital boards are now recognizing the gravity of cyber risks – financial, reputational, and especially those impacting patient safety. Consequently, they are channeling increased resources towards cybersecurity to counteract the growing threat.
However, a shortage of trained cybersecurity professionals hampers hospitals’ efforts to bolster their security teams. Riggi highlights the competition for skilled personnel across various sectors, necessitating innovative solutions. Collaborating with partners including HIMSS and the federal government, the AHA explores creative approaches like enhanced training for existing staff and initiatives to retrain veterans and incentivize students to pursue cybersecurity education.
Artificial intelligence plays a pivotal role in the evolving landscape, with both malicious actors and defenders utilizing AI-driven tools. Riggi describes an “AI-fueled cyber arms race” where cybercriminals leverage AI to develop complex malware, identify vulnerabilities, and orchestrate convincing phishing attacks. Conversely, cybersecurity professionals and allied governments employ AI to detect advanced threats and implement protective measures.
Riggi emphasizes the necessity of translating digital risks into broader strategic, enterprise, and patient safety risks. He underscores collaboration between the AHA and government agencies to enhance response capabilities, treating cyber threats as national security and public health concerns. Riggi draws parallels between the current cyber threat environment and counterterrorism efforts, highlighting the severe impact of high-impact ransomware attacks on healthcare delivery and public safety.
In his upcoming keynote, titled “The Global Cyber Threat Landscape: Healthcare Risk, Impact, and Response,” scheduled for September 7 at the HIMSS Healthcare Cybersecurity Forum in Boston, Riggi will delve into these critical issues.
