HHS warns health systems of PACS security vulnerabilities

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued a warning about a security vulnerability in picture-archive communication systems (PACS), which store and exchange medical imaging files. The flaw, discovered two years ago, puts patient data at risk of exposure or malware. The warning advises healthcare organizations to review their systems and ensure necessary patches are applied. The vulnerable PACS include devices from various manufacturers, and exploitation of the vulnerability could lead to the exposure of medical data and manipulation of medical diagnoses.