Cryptojacking a new threat to your patients’ PHI; treat incidents seriously

Why This Topic Matters

Cryptojacking can disrupt practice systems and may trigger a HIPAA security incident review even when the primary target is computing power rather than data. Understanding the general risk helps covered entities decide when to involve IT, cybersecurity, and compliance resources.

Article Sections

1. How cryptojacking works

   Introduces the threat, how attackers use compromised computing resources, and the general techniques discussed for running mining activity through browsers or plug-ins.

2. Signs and operational impact

   Describes the kinds of performance problems that may appear on affected systems and the basic troubleshooting concepts mentioned for identifying unusual CPU activity.

3. Impact of cryptojacking on HIPAA

   Explains the article’s discussion of how this type of incident may be viewed under HIPAA security and breach concepts and why preliminary review may still be needed.

4. Call an expert

   Covers the recommendation to involve internal IT and outside forensic support when an incident is suspected, along with the broader compliance considerations raised in the article.