"First Response: Initiating Incident Response and Forensics Procedures"
Question
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a major hospital system has received a ransom letter that demands a large sum of cryptocurrency be transferred to an anonymous account.
If the transfer does not take place within ten hours, the letter states that patient information will be released on the dark web.
A partial listing of recent patients is included in the letter.
This is the first indication that a breach took place.
Which of the following steps should be done FIRST?
Answers
Explanations
Click on the arrows to vote for the correct answer
A. B. C. D.D.
The first step that should be taken in this scenario is option D - Notify the appropriate legal authorities and legal counsel.
Here's why:
Compliance with regulations and laws: The unauthorized access to patient data and the demand for ransom are both illegal activities. Therefore, the hospital system must report the incident to the relevant authorities and legal counsel. This ensures compliance with regulations and laws, protects the hospital system from liability, and helps to mitigate the potential damage to patients.
Professional guidance and support: Legal counsel can provide the hospital system with professional guidance and support throughout the incident response process. They can help the hospital system understand their legal obligations, review contracts, provide legal advice on how to proceed, and communicate with law enforcement and regulatory agencies.
Preservation of evidence: The hospital system must preserve all available evidence related to the incident, including the ransom letter, any communications with the attacker, and system logs. Legal counsel can advise the hospital system on how to preserve this evidence in a way that is admissible in court.
Notification of affected individuals: Depending on the laws and regulations in the hospital system's jurisdiction, the hospital system may also need to notify affected individuals. Legal counsel can advise on the notification process, including the timing and content of the notifications.
Consideration of impact on operations: The hospital system must also consider the impact that the incident may have on its operations, including patient care. Legal counsel can advise on how to balance the needs of incident response with the needs of ongoing patient care and operations.
In summary, notifying the appropriate legal authorities and legal counsel is the first step that should be taken in this scenario. This ensures compliance with regulations and laws, provides professional guidance and support throughout the incident response process, helps to preserve evidence, and allows for appropriate notification of affected individuals.
