Mayo Clinic Connect back online following critical security updates

Oct 21 9:28pm | Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Comments (13)

Mayo Clinic Connect is safely back online after the team completed essential security updates and checks.

On October 21, the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) issued an emergency advisory, recommending that organizations take websites using PHP offline until a potential security issue could be addressed. PHP is a programming language widely used to run websites.

As a precaution, the team immediately took Mayo Clinic Connect offline to prevent any risk of exposure. Our security team then completed the necessary updates and security checks in accordance with Mayo Clinic's security and healthcare compliance standards.

We know that temporarily losing access to Mayo Clinic Connect was disruptive. Protecting our members and maintaining the trust you place in Mayo Clinic remain our highest priorities.

Thank you for your patience and understanding while we completed this important work.

We're glad to be safely back online. If you have any concerns, please contact the moderation team.

Interested in more newsfeed posts like this? Go to the About Connect: Who, What & Why blog.

Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Oct 21 9:39pm

Thank you for explaining the reason for this very unusual outage - and thank your management team for keeping this site safe and secure.

gloaming | @gloaming | Oct 22 1:53am

Malware Bytes warned me about this issue in an email they sent out to all users of that security system earlier today. Good to know your security is up on this and acted accordingly.

Judyinjeans. | @judyingenes | Oct 22 6:46am

Is there anything we are supposed to do now?

This is freaky!

frouke | @frouke | Oct 22 7:15am

Thank you for your service and ensuring that we’re all in good hands with you.

Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Oct 22 7:34am

In reply to @judyingenes "Is there anything we are supposed to do now? This is freaky!" + (show)

@judyingenes These sorts of threats arise pretty often. Make sure you have good, up-to-date virus & spam checkers, and that they scan your computer every day.
If you don't have one, search for "Best Virus Checkers", read the reviews, and select the best one for you.

parrot53 | @parrot53 | Oct 22 8:59am

Good Day,
Unfortunately we will have to deal with the consequences of AI as well as the benefits. AI can now infiltrate most computer environments as that is their native domicile. Hopefully we will learn to control and contain AI in a responsible way that mostly benefits the majority of us. My opinion is that we are in for a rough patch at least for a short while until we learn to grapple with this new technology.
Hoping your day is filled with joy.

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Oct 22 9:53am

In reply to @judyingenes "Is there anything we are supposed to do now? This is freaky!" + (show)

@judyingenes, no action necessary on your part. This notice was just to let you know that our team was on top of things. 🙂

Jeff Marchi | @jeffmarc | Oct 22 10:55am

I read about this PHP issue before I even tried to open up the connect site, and of course it was down as the warning said some sites may be.

I’m finding the site not working too well today. It keeps freezing when trying to get the next few notifications.. it has come back a couple of times saying that can’t get connected. But then works, but it’s been erratic for the last half hour..

Hopefully, they figure out what’s going on, Maybe it’s just overloaded because you were down for a day.

gloaming | @gloaming | Oct 22 11:20am

Malware Bytes (yes, I have become a fan) sends out a weekly summary email to all users that includes the latest digital security news that might affect individual users. For example, several times in the past four months they have urged their Chrome users (Google's browser) to update the browser manually due to an exploit that has been recently revealed, or due to federal digital security agency's warning of a looming threat. So, Google acts, makes a patch, and that becomes available to its Chrome users. Malware Bytes says to actually open the browser, and then go to the three dots at upper right and then go to 'About'. There you find an app to update the browser which it will launch automatically...near the very top of the boundaried window you see. When it is done downloading the update, it prompts you to 'relaunch'. Click on that, it closes Chrome, and then re-opens it for you. That's all you have to do. That's what Malware Bytes says we should do. This takes 30 seconds, but it might save you a hack or other problems that will potentially affect you all your life.

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Oct 22 11:57am

In reply to @jeffmarc "I read about this PHP issue before I even tried to open up the connect site,..." + (show)

@jeffmarc, I'm not having any performance issues with the site. Please send me a message using this form so I can have the team review https://connect.mayoclinic.org/contact-a-community-moderator/