EU-US Data Privacy Framework Ensures Safe Data Transfers

The European Commission (EC) has adopted an adequacy decision for the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. "The decision concludes that the United States ensures an adequate level of protection – comparable to that of the European Union – for personal data transferred from the EU to US companies under the new framework," the announcement states (https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_3721).

This decision means that "personal data can flow safely from the EU to US companies participating in the Framework, without having to put in place additional data protection safeguards."

Additionally, US companies can now self-certify (https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2023/07/data-privacy-framework-program-launches-new-website-enabling-us) their compliance with the EU-US Data Privacy Framework to facilitate cross-border transfers of personal data in compliance with EU law.

IEEE Releases New Standard for LiFi Communications

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has released 802.11bb (https://standards.ieee.org/ieee/802.11bb/10823/) as a standard for light-based wireless communications.

"LiFi is a wireless technology that uses light rather than radio frequencies to transmit data. By harnessing the light spectrum, LiFi can unleash faster, more reliable wireless communications with unparalleled security compared to conventional technologies such as WiFi and 5G," according to this statement from proponents of the technology (https://www.purelifi.com/global-lifi-firms-welcome-the-release-of-ieee-802-11bb-global-light-communications-standard/).

LiFi complements WiFi and 5G technologies and integrates easily with existing infrastructures, says Dominic Schulz, lead of LiFi development at Fraunhofer HHI. Additionally, it offers "high-speed mobile connectivity in areas with limited RF, like fixed wireless access, classrooms, medical, and industrial scenarios."

EU Health Sector Security Risks

A new report from the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) focusing on the health sector says that ransomware accounts for 54 percent of all cybersecurity threats in that sector. However, "only 27 percent of surveyed organizations in the sector have a dedicated ransomware defense programme," the Health Threat Landscape report says (https://www.enisa.europa.eu/publications/health-threat-landscape).

The European health sector overall experienced "a significant number of incidents, with healthcare providers accounting for 53 percent of the total incidents. Hospitals, in particular, bore the brunt, with 42 percent of incidents reported."

The report analyzes cyberattacks and identifies various threats, impacts, and trends over a two-year period.