I'm John Bachelte with Michael Sugden with his colleague Annie Fixler have

published for the Foundation for the Defense of democracies. Health care cybersecurity needs a checkup.

This is about attacks ongoing routinely. One in London in these last days has damaged the

health care system in central London. But this can happen to

anyone and so recommendations for Congress, for the industry and especially we're looking at what people can do what people can do right now.

Mike I want to start with Congress because they've got the money and we've talked

about the regional the rural health care centers and how they're vulnerable. Does Congress know

this? Has Congress provided them access to funds that they can upgrade their

defenses?

So I believe Congress is aware, especially with these most recent cyber attacks with

change health care that I mentioned earlier.

It's really brought how big of an issue this is to light. As far as funding it, we haven't really seen anything directed towards rural hospitals yet. However, with the Department of Health and Human Services, which is the agency in charge for risk

management of the health care sector. They have requested in the most recent

President's budget that they would like 800 million dollars to go for an incentive's program for

for underfunded hospitals, which includes rural hospitals in most cases, to establish baseline cyber security procedures.

So this is something that is on the come up, but we haven't seen it yet.

Let's go to the executive branch then directing.

Cybersecurity is it a priority for administrations?

Several administrations.

We've all been vulnerable for some time, but it looks like the villains have increased their pace.

Is the Biden administration and the Trump administration before that and the Obama administration

were they keen on cyber security for hospitals?

...