Here’s something that seems a bit suspect to me. Via a blog post, Twilio who makes two factor authentication apps, specifically an app called Authy, said that it was hacked. But the way that it provides details about this hack leads to more questions than answers:
Twilio has detected that threat actors were able to identify data associated with Authy accounts, including phone numbers, due to an unauthenticated endpoint. We have taken action to secure this endpoint and no longer allow unauthenticated requests.
We have seen no evidence that the threat actors obtained access to Twilio’s systems or other sensitive data. As a precaution, we are requesting that all Authy users update to the latest Android and iOS apps for the latest security updates. While Authy accounts are not compromised, threat actors may try to use the phone number associated with Authy accounts for phishing and smishing attacks; we encourage all Authy users to stay diligent and have heightened awareness around the texts they are receiving.
You’ll note that the company hasn’t said how many users were affected. Now it is possible that Twilio has no clue how many users were affected. It is also possible that they just don’t want to say because the number is huge. There are reports that the number of users is 33 million which would be huge if true. And the fact that Twilio said that hackers got in via an “unauthenticated endpoint” is interesting. That kind of implies that they might have had computers on their network that weren’t properly authenticated to the network. IF that is the case, that’s not good. Either way, this isn’t trivial. All of this leads to more questions than answers. And Twilio will have to answer those questions sooner rather than later if they are to be trusted again.
TELUS Health enables health data interoperability in Nova Scotia
Posted in Commentary with tags Telus on July 4, 2024 by itnerdToday, TELUS Health announced a collaboration with Nova Scotia Health (NSH) to enable residents of Nova Scotia to access their primary care information through the
YourHealthNS app. This health data interoperability initiative marks the first large-scale effort in Canada to standardize and connect primary care data and empowers people in Nova Scotia to better manage their health and improve health outcomes.
TELUS Health is a leader in digital health data and currently supports most of Nova Scotia’s clinicians with electronic medical records (EMRs) to enhance their practice and patient care. Through this collaboration, TELUS Health is using its integrated data platform to extract relevant patient summary data from these EMRs.
Providing patients with seamless and secure access to their health information benefits not only the patients themselves but also clinicians and care providers. This access leads to greater efficiencies, supports effective communication and ultimately enhances the overall patient experience, as demonstrated by a pilot project launched in early 2024. Among the 13,000 participants, 68 per cent who accessed their health records reported their patient experience as good or excellent.
As the first company in the world to achieve the ISO 31700-1 Privacy by Design certification, TELUS Health is committed to safeguarding privacy and advancing the principles of trustworthy data practices across Canada and beyond. TELUS Health aligns with the Government of Nova Scotia’s dedication to using healthcare data solely for the advancement of healthcare, ensuring that individuals can lead healthier lives.
TELUS Health looks forward to collaborating with other provinces across the country to replicate this success.
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