Marianne Kolbasuk McGee

Executive Editor, HealthcareInfoSecurity, ISMG

McGee is executive editor of Information Security Media Group's HealthcareInfoSecurity.com media site. She has about 30 years of IT journalism experience, with a focus on healthcare information technology issues for more than 15 years. Before joining ISMG in 2012, she was a reporter at InformationWeek magazine and news site and played a lead role in the launch of InformationWeek's healthcare IT media site.

LifeLock Tentatively Settles with FTC

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 29, 2015

LifeLock says it has reached a tentative agreement on a settlement with the FTC regarding alleged information security shortcomings and other issues. It says it's also reached agreement on a proposed settlement of a related consumer class action lawsuit. The stock market reacted favorably to the announcements.

Mergers Create Challenges for CISOs

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 28, 2015

Mergers and acquisitions create challenges for CISOs, including allocating resources to meet the information security needs of newly united companies, says Joey Johnson, CISO of Premise Health.

Senate Passes Cybersecurity Info Sharing Bill

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 27, 2015

The Senate on Oct. 27 passed the controversial Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, which provides businesses with liability protections if they voluntarily share cyber threat information with each other and the federal government. The bill now must be reconciled with House measures approved earlier.

More GAO Tests Show Obamacare Enrollment Woes

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 26, 2015

With the Nov. 1 launch of the next open enrollment period under Obamacare looming, the GAO says tests it conducted two years in a row identified problems with the enrollment mechanism that could lead to fraud. But HHS laments that it's still waiting for GAO's recommendations for action.

Senate Wrestles with Cyber Threat Info Sharing Bill

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 21, 2015

As the Senate continues to wrestle with the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, with a vote expected next week, opposition to the bill from some privacy groups and major technology firms, including Apple, is heating up.

Machine Learning: Sizing Up Its Role in InfoSec

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 15, 2015

By identifying abnormal data access behavior, machine learning systems could improve breach prevention and fraud detection in the healthcare arena and other sectors, contends artificial intelligence expert Robert Leithiser.

Should Medicare Move to Chip ID Cards?

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 6, 2015

Proposed federal legislation calls for testing the use of smart cards, similar to the chip cards being rolled out by the U.S. credit card brands, for Medicare patient identification to help reduce fraud. Kelli Emerick, leader of the Secure ID Coalition, explains the proposal.

Why InfoSec Professionals Must Understand Privacy Issues

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • September 30, 2015

In addition to having a dedicated individual or team responsible for privacy matters, organizations must ensure their information security and IT staffs are knowledgeable about data privacy issues, says Trevor Hughes, CEO of the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

Fraud Ringleader Gets 15-Year Sentence

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • September 28, 2015

The leader of a $24 million identity theft and tax refund fraud ring, which stole data from a military hospital, the Alabama Department of Public Health and others, has been sentenced to serve 15 years in prison. Experts recommend steps organizations can take to prevent such crimes.

U.S., China Reach Cyber Agreement

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • September 25, 2015

The U.S. and China, as part of a cybersecurity agreement, have agreed not to conduct or knowingly support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property with the intent of providing competitive advantages to companies or commercial sectors.

OIG: Obamacare Data Repository Had Security Flaws

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • September 24, 2015

Federal auditors say a data repository used for data analysis and reporting for the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, had numerous data security shortcomings that have since been addressed. Security experts say the problems cited are common to many organizations.