South Carolina Launches Cybersecurity Pilot for Rural Hospitals
Summary
Project Lifeline 250 is a six-month initiative offering rural South Carolina hospitals free cybersecurity resources, including help with network defenses, operational backups and identifying high-risk medical devices.
Key points
- The White House Office of the National Cyber Director and South Carolina launched Project Lifeline 250 with local governments and private-sector partners.
- The six-month pilot will provide rural hospitals free resources to identify vulnerabilities, defend against cyberattacks and maintain critical services.
- Planned support includes strengthening network defenses, backup technology for post-attack operations and identifying high-risk devices used in critical care.
- Participating security vendors include Cisco, Cyera, Microsoft, Trellix and Zscaler.
- Officials say the pilot will evaluate solutions that could be scaled to protect infrastructure in other communities.
Article Details
- Event Type
- A six-month federal, state, and private-sector cybersecurity pilot for rural hospitals in South Carolina.
- Impact
- Project Lifeline 250 will provide participating hospitals free cybersecurity resources to strengthen network defenses, support operations with backup technology after a cyberattack, and identify high-risk medical and other devices used in critical care. It aims to test solutions that could be scaled to protect infrastructure elsewhere. The article reports that South Carolina HIPAA-regulated organizations had reported 11 major breaches affecting nearly 320,000 patients so far that year.
People
Mari SavickisVice president of public policy at the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives; discussed healthcare organizations’ cybersecurity funding, legacy technology, and guidance needs.Nitin NatarajanFormer deputy director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency during the Biden administration; commented on federal healthcare cybersecurity efforts and recommendations for supporting the sector.
Vendors
Ciscoas SC CIC, local governments and private-sector technology firms. Participating security vendors include Cisco, Cyera, Microsoft, Trellix and Zscaler.CyeraCIC, local governments and private-sector technology firms. Participating security vendors include Cisco, Cyera, Microsoft, Trellix and Zscaler.Microsoftgovernments and private-sector technology firms. Participating security vendors include Cisco, Cyera, Microsoft, Trellix and Zscaler.Trellixand private-sector technology firms. Participating security vendors include Cisco, Cyera, Microsoft, Trellix and Zscaler.Zscalertechnology firms. Participating security vendors include Cisco, Cyera, Microsoft, Trellix and Zscaler.