MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE: BAH) has partnered with the Health Information Trust (HITRUST) Alliance to hold a CyberRX 2.0 cyber preparedness, education and simulation event in Washington, D.C., on March 25, 2015. The Cyber Town Hall event will feature participants from the healthcare industry as well as from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
This “Cyber Town Hall” session, which is part of the ongoing HITRUST CyberRX 2.0 program, is the first in a series of events Booz Allen will host in major cities across the U.S. The Cyber Town Hall session in D.C. will provide an opportunity for attendees from the government, insurers, hospitals and other providers to learn how to assess their ability to respond effectively to cyber threats and attacks, and understand what resources from HHS, FBI, DHS and HITRUST are available to improve collaboration and cyber intelligence sharing.
“Given recent high-profile cyber attacks perpetrated against the health care industry and the overall increase in incidents HITRUST is seeing in its cyber center both in volume and sophistication, the CyberRX Cyber Town Hall events are more urgent and critical than ever. We are pleased to partner with Booz Allen Hamilton and its recognized experts in cybersecurity programs, to offer the D.C. and other events around the country,” said Daniel Nutkis, CEO, HITRUST. “HITRUST is committed to continuing to provide critical support and protect the U.S. healthcare industry from disruption by cyber attacks through important programs including HITRUST CyberRX, the HITRUST Cyber Threat Intelligence and Incident Coordination Center (C3), HITRUST Cyber Threat Briefings and the HITRUST Cyber Threat XChange. Thousands of healthcare organizations have already benefitted from these services and we expect to see a critical mass of interest and participation this year that will transform the way the industry approaches information security.”
The Cyber Town Hall session allows organizations to learn about the CyberRX 2.0 program and assess their response and threat preparedness against healthcare cybersecurity attacks. “One of the key findings of the initial CyberRX program was that organizations that participate in cyber exercises are more prepared for a cyber-attack, regardless of the maturity and comprehensiveness of their information security program,” said Jim Koenig, Principal and Leader of the Commercial Privacy and Incident Response Practices at Booz Allen. “The Cyber Town Hall is a unique opportunity to hear from HITRUST, industry leaders and government about resources available for industry resilience, collaboration and information sharing.”
In addition to presentations on various cyber related topics, the sessions will include mock simulations. Those potentially benefitting from attendance include business and technical leaders, as well as finance, risk, operations, human resources, and information technology executives.
To date, more than 1,000 organizations have participated in CyberRX. Launched in April 2014 in coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the program offers a series of industry-wide exercises that help organizations of varying cyber sophistication evolve their preparedness through a three-tier program. The underlying mission is to mobilize health care organizations and strengthen industry response against cyber-attacks intended to disrupt the nation’s healthcare operations. The exercises include scenarios targeting information systems, medical devices and other essential technology resources of government and health care organizations.
Booz Allen and HITRUST will be conducting the CyberRX 2.0 Cyber Town Hall events in many major U.S. cities, including: Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia/New Jersey, Indianapolis, Charlotte, and Washington, D.C. In addition to the events being coordinated with Booz Allen, HITRUST will coordinate complimentary CyberRX 2.0 Town Hall events through June 2015.
Health care organizations interested in learning more about the CyberRX 2.0 program or participating in a Town Hall session can visit http://hitrustalliance.net/cyberrx/.
About HITRUST
Founded in 2007, the Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST) was born out of the belief that information protection should be a core pillar of, rather than an obstacle to, the broad adoption of health information systems and exchanges. HITRUST — in collaboration with public and private healthcare technology, privacy and information security leaders — has championed programs instrumental in safeguarding health information systems and exchanges while ensuring consumer confidence in their use.
HITRUST programs include the establishment of a common risk and compliance management framework (CSF); an assessment and assurance methodology; educational and career development; advocacy and awareness; and a federally recognized cyber Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (ISAO) and supporting initiatives. Over 84 percent of hospitals and health plans, as well as many other healthcare organizations and business associates, use the CSF, making it the most widely adopted security framework in the industry. For more information, visit www.HITRUSTalliance.net.
About Booz Allen
Booz Allen Hamilton is a leading provider of management consulting, technology, and engineering services to the US government in defense, intelligence, and civil markets, and to major corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Booz Allen is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, employs more than 22,000 people, and had revenue of $5.48 billion for the 12 months ended March 31, 2014. In 2014, Booz Allen celebrated its 100th anniversary year. To learn more, visit www.boozallen.com. (NYSE: BAH).
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