HHS Improves Threat Information Sharing With Federal Agencies, Health Care Sector

The Department of Health and Human Services has increased threat information sharing with federal agencies, scientific research institutions, medical device manufacturers and other organizations for improved cyber incident prevention.

Speaking at the Billington Cybersecurity Summit, Karl Mathias, chief information officer for HHS, said the agency has enhanced information sharing in recent years through its Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center, also known as HC3. The center was launched in 2018 after Congress saw the need for the agency to step up its partnership initiatives, Nextgov/FCW reported.

Additional data-sharing improvements were made following Government Accountability Office reports in 2021 and 2022. The 2021 report urged the HHS to improve collaboration with the health care and public health sectors while the 2022 report urged the agency to enhance its breach reporting process.

HHS, meanwhile, has strengthened its coordination with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to help federal agencies defend against ransomware attacks.