A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_URI::$config is deprecated

Filename: core/URI.php

Line Number: 101

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Router::$uri is deprecated

Filename: core/Router.php

Line Number: 127

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$benchmark is deprecated

Filename: core/Controller.php

Line Number: 82

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$hooks is deprecated

Filename: core/Controller.php

Line Number: 82

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$config is deprecated

Filename: core/Controller.php

Line Number: 82

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$log is deprecated

Filename: core/Controller.php

Line Number: 82

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$utf8 is deprecated

Filename: core/Controller.php

Line Number: 82

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$uri is deprecated

Filename: core/Controller.php

Line Number: 82

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$exceptions is deprecated

Filename: core/Controller.php

Line Number: 82

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$router is deprecated

Filename: core/Controller.php

Line Number: 82

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$output is deprecated

Filename: core/Controller.php

Line Number: 82

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$security is deprecated

Filename: core/Controller.php

Line Number: 82

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$input is deprecated

Filename: core/Controller.php

Line Number: 82

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$lang is deprecated

Filename: core/Controller.php

Line Number: 82

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::open($save_path, $name) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::open(string $path, string $name): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice

Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php

Line Number: 132

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::close() should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::close(): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice

Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php

Line Number: 294

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::read($session_id) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::read(string $id): string|false, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice

Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php

Line Number: 168

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::write($session_id, $session_data) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::write(string $id, string $data): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice

Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php

Line Number: 237

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::destroy($session_id) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::destroy(string $id): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice

Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php

Line Number: 317

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::gc($maxlifetime) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::gc(int $max_lifetime): int|false, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice

Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php

Line Number: 358

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent

Filename: Session/Session.php

Line Number: 282

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: session_set_cookie_params(): Session cookie parameters cannot be changed after headers have already been sent

Filename: Session/Session.php

Line Number: 289

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent

Filename: Session/Session.php

Line Number: 304

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent

Filename: Session/Session.php

Line Number: 314

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent

Filename: Session/Session.php

Line Number: 315

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent

Filename: Session/Session.php

Line Number: 316

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent

Filename: Session/Session.php

Line Number: 317

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent

Filename: Session/Session.php

Line Number: 375

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: session_set_save_handler(): Session save handler cannot be changed after headers have already been sent

Filename: Session/Session.php

Line Number: 110

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: session_start(): Session cannot be started after headers have already been sent

Filename: Session/Session.php

Line Number: 143

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$session is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 1283

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$email is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 1283

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$pdf is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 1283

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 7
Function: __construct

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$db is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 396

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 8
Function: database

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_DB_mysqli_driver::$failover is deprecated

Filename: database/DB_driver.php

Line Number: 371

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 8
Function: database

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$form_validation is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 1283

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 9
Function: library

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$adminmodel is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 358

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 10
Function: model

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$leadmodel is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 358

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 12
Function: model

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$clientmodel is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 358

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 13
Function: model

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$pagination is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 1283

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/models/Pagemodel.php
Line: 7
Function: library

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 14
Function: model

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$pagemodel is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 358

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 14
Function: model

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$load is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$benchmark is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$hooks is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$config is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$log is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$utf8 is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$uri is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$exceptions is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$router is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$output is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$security is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$input is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$lang is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$session is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$email is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$pdf is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$db is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$form_validation is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$adminmodel is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$leadmodel is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$clientmodel is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$pagination is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: 8192

Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$pagemodel is deprecated

Filename: core/Loader.php

Line Number: 931

Backtrace:

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
Line: 254
Function: view

File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

OCR Announces New HIPAA Guidance on Ransomware

OCR Announces New HIPAA Guidance on Ransomware

By Gregory Fliszar, Esq. and J. Nicole Martin, Esq. of Cozen OaEUR(TM)Connor In response to the increasing prevalence of ransomware cyber-attacks by hackers on electronic health information systems in hospitals and medical practices, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced on Monday July 11, 2016 its publication of new HIPAA guidance on ransomware (aEURoeRansomware GuidanceaEUR?). According to OCR: Ransomware is a type of malware (or malicious software) that encrypts data with a key known only to the hacker and makes the data inaccessible to authorized users. After the data is encrypted, the hacker demands that authorized users pay a ransom (usually in a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin to maintain anonymity) in order to obtain a key to decrypt the data. Notably, the HIPAA Security Rule already requires implementation of security measures to help covered entities and business associates prevent the introduction of malware (e.g., ransomware) into their systems, and to implement policies and procedures to assist in responding to ransomware attacks. The Ransomware Guidance addresses, among other areas, how to implement security measures in order to prevent, mitigate the chances of, or even recover from ransomware attacks. Not surprisingly, conducting a risk analysis (or risk assessment) is at the core of covered entities and business associates implementing security management processes as required by the HIPAA Security Rule. The Ransomware Guidance further notes that maintaining an overall contingency plan, as required by the Security Rule, that includes disaster recovery planning, emergency operations planning and frequent backups of data can also help covered entities and business associates respond to and recover from malware infections, including ransomware attacks. In addition, the Ransomware Guidance states that ransomware attacks against a covered entity or business associate can be considered a breach under the HIPAA Rules. Specifically, the Ransomware Guidance provides, aEURoe[w]hen electronic protected health information (ePHI) is encrypted as the result of a ransomware attack, a breach has occurred because the ePHI encrypted by the ransomware was acquired (i.e. unauthorized individuals have taken possession or control of the information), and thus is a aEUR~disclosureaEUR(TM) not permitted under the HIPAA Privacy Rule.aEUR? Therefore, unless it can be shown that there is a low probability that the PHI involved in the ransomware attack has been compromised based on the factors in the Breach Notification Rule, a breach is presumed to have occurred, which would trigger the applicable breach notification provisions. Even before OCRaEUR(TM)s publication of the Ransomware Guidance, in late June the Secretary of HHS sent a letter (aEURoeLetteraEUR?) to the attention of chief executive officers at health care entities addressing the threat of ransomware. The Secretary attached interagency guidance to the Letter containing best practices and mitigation strategies integral to combatting ransomware incidents. Ransomware is immediately disruptive to the day-to-day operation of businesses, as seen by its impact earlier this year on health care systems like MedStar in Washington, D.C. and Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles (aEURoeHPMCaEUR?), resulting for example, in HPMC paying 40 Bitcoins (approximately $17,000) to regain control of its computer system. Although the Ransomware Guidance does not address whether payment or ransom should be paid to regain access to computer systems, the interagency guidance attached to the Letter advises against paying hackers because, among other reasons, paying a ransom doesnaEUR(TM)t necessarily guarantee that an entity will regain access to its system. The Ransomware Guidance does recommend that an entity victimized by a ransomware attack contact its local FBI or United States Secret Service field office. For more information please contact Gregory M. Fliszar at gfliszar@cozen.com - (215) 665-4737, Ryan Blaney at rblaney@cozen.com - (202) 463-2528, J. Nicole Martin at nmartin@cozen.com -(215) 665-2054 or a member of Cozen OaEUR(TM)ConnoraEUR(TM)s Health Law team.

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