Rethinking Cybersecurity: Dr. Jeff Tully Brings a Clinician’s Perspective to IU

January 23, 2025

Dr. Jeff Tully, anesthesiologist and co-director of the UC San Diego Center for Healthcare Cybersecurity, recently spoke at Indiana University’s Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research, sharing insights at the intersection of medicine and cybersecurity.

In a field often dominated by technical jargon and checklists, Tully makes the case for a more practical, evidence-based approach. Drawing on his own experience as a practicing physician, he offers a compelling look at what happens when hospital networks go down, how phishing training is (and isn’t) working, and why it’s time to focus on resilience—not just prevention.

The talk covers:

• A large-scale phishing study at UC San Diego Health that challenges assumptions about training effectiveness
• What real patient data reveals about the ripple effects of ransomware
• A look inside UCSD’s work on detecting hospital disruptions in real-time
• Emerging tools designed to help hospitals respond quickly, including a mobile “crash cart” of digital infrastructure
• Why collaboration across disciplines—clinical, technical, and beyond—is essential

Tully offers a rare and valuable perspective that bridges medicine, cybersecurity, and research in a way that’s both thoughtful and immediately relevant.