WASHINGTON, DC - Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Murphy (R-PA), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), and Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH), today issued the following statement regarding the ongoing “WannaCry" global ransomware infection crippling thousands of computers in hundreds of countries.
“We continue to closely monitor the events surrounding the global ransomware infection and have been in contact with the various agencies and people with knowledge of the situation," said Murphy, Blackburn, Burgess, and Latta. “We understand the gravity of the situation as this infection has affected businesses, hospitals, and universities across the globe and poses a significant risk to consumer safety, privacy, and data security. We look forward to receiving updates on the situation and eagerly await additional information as it becomes available."
In March, the committee sent letters to the Department of Homeland Security and MITRE Corporation seeking to evaluate the management and performance of the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures program, a government-funded database that tracks cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
Last month, #SubOversight held a hearing examining ways to bolster cybersecurity efforts in the health care sector. The hearing struck a unifying theme that regardless of the size or scope of a health facility, everyone faces the risk of an attack and must be prepared.
