Implementing a HIPAA Cybersecurity Framework

The implementation of HIPAA cybersecurity and compliance frameworks are crucial in safeguarding patients’ protected health information (PHI) and electronic PHI (ePHI). As technology continues to evolve rapidly, so do the tactics used by cybercriminals. This reality has made it increasingly important for healthcare organizations to prioritize their cybersecurity measures to maintain confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive patient data. By leveraging a [...]

2023-07-24T14:54:34-04:00June 2nd, 2023|

Protecting Patient Data: The Importance of HIPAA Compliant VPN in Healthcare

A virtual private network (VPN) is a network technology that securely connects two or more devices over the internet. VPNs are commonly used to protect internet traffic from interception, snooping, and censorship. VPNs in healthcare can be used to securely access electronic medical records (EMRs) and other patient data from remote locations. HIPAA compliance refers to the set of regulations that healthcare [...]

2023-07-25T09:46:11-04:00April 3rd, 2023|

Healthcare Remains Top Target in 2022 ITRC Breach Report

At least 344 organizations in the healthcare industry suffered data breaches in 2022, according to a just-released report from the Identity Theft Research Center® (ITRC). This is the third consecutive year that healthcare organizations led all industries in the number of data compromises noted in the ITRC report. Healthcare organizations represented 19 percent of the 1,802 breaches reported in the 2022 ITRC [...]

2023-07-25T11:16:07-04:00January 25th, 2023|

Cybersecurity Response Plans and CIRCIA

In March 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022 (CIRCIA). This new law will likely trigger changes to the cybersecurity response plans of many organizations. While there is not currently a standard to enforce, healthcare providers and the companies that provide support services to them will be affected by this new law.  CIRCIA Background [...]

2023-07-25T15:49:58-04:00November 14th, 2022|

Managing Security: Healthcare Cybersecurity Policies and Standards

Establishing a healthcare cybersecurity policy is important for multiple reasons. Cybersecurity policies create standards for your staff, enabling them to keep sensitive information private. HIPAA requires healthcare organizations to have policies and procedures that limit the use and disclosure of patient information, and to ensure that it is not accessed inappropriately. How to Create Your Healthcare Data Security Policy Cybersecurity policies provide [...]

2023-07-25T16:33:18-04:00November 4th, 2022|

Managing Technology: Medical Device Security

Managing your organization’s cybersecurity is complex. Many fail to account for medical device security, forgetting that these devices connect to the internet, making them vulnerable. Medical device security standards are essential to consider as part of your overall security strategy. Medical Device Security Standards Medical device security is imperative to safeguard protected health information (PHI) adequately. Many medical devices, such as MRI [...]

2023-07-25T16:37:46-04:00November 2nd, 2022|

HIPAA Cyber Incident Response Requirements

The HHS cybersecurity best practices serve as a guide healthcare organizations can adopt to improve their security posture. One of these best practices is security incident response.  HIPAA requires healthcare organizations to report security incidents to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). HIPAA defines a security incident as “the attempted or successful unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, or destruction of information or [...]

2023-07-26T08:58:58-04:00October 31st, 2022|

HIPAA Vulnerability Management: Identifying and Addressing Security Gaps

Vulnerability management is a crucial part of any cybersecurity program and is one of the Department of Health and Human Services recommended cybersecurity best practices. Specific to healthcare, HIPAA vulnerability management refers to identifying risks to patient information and implementing measures that reduce the risk. What is HIPAA Vulnerability Management? HIPAA vulnerability management identifies possible risks in an organization’s network security.  This [...]

2023-07-26T10:01:31-04:00October 28th, 2022|

Cybersecurity Best Practices: Healthcare Asset Management

As part of the practice of handling protected health information (PHI) during their regular duties, healthcare providers must take precautions to safeguard sensitive information. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommends ten practices that anyone handling PHI needs to implement, the fifth of which is healthcare asset management. What is Healthcare Asset Management?  Healthcare asset management, as HIPAA views it, [...]

2023-07-26T10:18:44-04:00October 21st, 2022|

Limiting PHI Exposure with HIPAA Access Management and Controls

Healthcare organizations regularly handle patient information and must take precautions to safeguard sensitive data. Implementing HIPAA access controls and having an access management system reduces the likelihood of unauthorized access to protected health information (PHI). Access management is also one of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ten recommended cybersecurity best practices. What is HIPAA Access Management?  HIPAA access management [...]

2023-07-26T10:20:43-04:00October 19th, 2022|