Email Encryption To Achieve HIPAA Compliance

email encryption to achieve hipaa compliance

Email encryption is key to achieving HIPAA compliance, which is essential for any organization that processes protected health information. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets out the standards governing the privacy and security of personal medical data. This article will overview email encryption, how it helps organizations meet HIPAA requirements, and best practices to ensure effective implementation.

Protecting PHI from unauthorized access or disclosure cannot be overstated. Email communication presents particular challenges in this area as messages are sent across networks outside of the organization’s control, where malicious actors may be vulnerable to interception. Email encryption provides a means to safeguard confidential data contained in emails so that only those intended to have access can view them.

Organizations must adhere to strict rules when dealing with PHI under HIPAA regulations, including implementing appropriate technical safeguards such as encrypting emails containing sensitive patient data before sending them electronically. Email encryption ensures that all PHI communications remain private and secure when used correctly.

Understanding HIPAA Requirements

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a set of standards designed to protect individuals’ medical information privacy. HIPAA applies to all entities collecting, storing, or transmitting electronic health records (EHRs). Organizations must take specific steps to secure confidential patient data to ensure compliance with these regulations. One such step is the implementation of encryption technologies.

Encryption is a process by which data is transformed into an unreadable format for unauthorized users. It can be used with transport layer security (TLS) protocols and public key cryptography (PKC) to provide additional layers of protection for EHRs stored on computer networks. By encrypting sensitive data before it leaves the system or network, healthcare providers can prevent costly breaches caused by malicious actors attempting to access personal medical information without authorization. In this way, healthcare facilities gain assurance that their patients’ private information remains safe and secure at all times.

The Need for Email Encryption

Given the importance of HIPAA compliance, email encryption has become necessary for organizations with access to patient data. Email encryption is an effective way of securing emails to protect patient privacy. Additionally, it ensures confidential communication between healthcare providers and patients. It involves encrypting messages so those with authorized access can only read them.

To achieve HIPAA compliance through email encryption, there are two main methods: end-to-end encryption (E2EE) and transport layer security (TLS).

End-to-End Email Encryption

This type of encryption provides the highest level of security. This ensures that only the sender and recipient can read the content of the email message. End-to-end encryption secures emails from being intercepted or tampered with during transit from one device to another.

Transport Layer Security

TLS works similarly to E2EE but does not guarantee complete confidentiality. Third parties may still have access to the contents of an encrypted message. However, TLS does protect against tampering or interception once a message has been sent over a network.

In addition to these two methods, organizations should consider implementing other measures such as digital signatures, authentication protocols, and secure file transfer services to further enhance their email security systems and ensure full compliance with HIPAA regulations.

In summary, adopting strong email encryption practices is essential for any organization which processes protected health information to remain compliant with HIPAA requirements and protect patient privacy.

Adobe Flash End of Life: Adobe is Retiring Flash and You Should Too

adobe flash end of life adobe is retiring flash and you should too

Adobe Flash, once one of the most utilized pieces of software on the Internet, is being retired by the software giant. Support will stop on December 31, 2020. Like any other piece of retired software, you should remove it from any system you have that still runs it.

Adobe first deprecated the software in 2017 but has announced that it will no longer offer support. This means that soon after the first of the year, the software will begin to show vulnerabilities. Thus, anyone still using it will significantly increase their risk of attack.

We are suggesting that any place where you would find Adobe Flash Player, such as your internet browsers, your mobile browsers, and mobile OSs, be checked to ensure that Flash isn’t still installed on the device.

Chances are that you haven’t used Flash Player in a while as modern coding has evolved. Thus, Flash isn’t as useful as it once was. It was once the predominant multimedia platform found on Internet browsers and other applications. However, it was about to be nothing more than a liability.

Any legacy software that uses Flash may no longer function properly. However, there isn’t much that can be done. Adobe has set a hard deadline for you to get the software off of your system.

If you would like to talk to one of our consultants about how to properly remove software and keep your systems free from obvious vulnerabilities, call (877) 771-2384 today.

6 Reasons Why You Need Managed Services in Fort Lauderdale

6 reasons why you need managed services in fort lauderdale

The need for managed services has never been more critical as innovation in the business world is continually on the rise. A managed IT services provider based in Fort Lauderdale can help your South Florida business mitigate natural disasters like hurricanes, keep up with the pace of advancing technology and enhance your business’ efficiency.

Are you unsure if Managed Services are correct for your business?

Here are six reasons why you might want to reconsider:

1. Minimized Downtime and Increased Productivity

A managed IT service provider helps you to avoid system shutdowns and failures, thereby reducing the time spent on making complex IT decisions. When these technology-related frustrations are minimized, your team is able to focus on their work, which in turn guarantees your company a higher level of productivity.

2. Improved Compliance and Security

As technology continues to advance, cyber-criminals are also continuing to invent new malicious attack methods, which puts businesses at a high risk of data breaches. A managed service provider will help protect your business from such attacks and offer quick solutions if one happens. They are also able to supplement additional protocols, procedures, and policies to ensure compliance.

3. High-Level Support on Up-to-the-Minute Technology

One of the benefits of constant system management and monitoring is that you can rely on the most current IT systems at no financial risk or extra costs. Additionally, as a result of their many years of experience, quality-managed service providers are able to implement new IT systems within a short time, thereby saving you money and time.

4. Good Return on Business and Cost Effectiveness

Employing the services of a managed IT service provider is a cost-saving investment. It helps to control outgoing expenses, which in turn enhances return on investment.  A managed service provider is able to achieve this by minimizing hardware costs, keeping systems updated, providing expert knowledge, and sustaining high levels of security.

5. Access to a Wide Range of Solutions

Over time, your business needs various solutions such as customer relationship management software (CRM) and accounting software solutions to handle multiple individual needs that keep on rising. With accounting solutions, it becomes easy to monitor taxes, vendors, and financial information. CRM helps to gather greater business visibility through campaigns, notes, and surveys. Managed service providers are able to provide these solutions. Resulting in a more secure data-controlled system that helps your company to manage both customer and business information.

6. Regular Maintenance

A managed IT service provider offers a proactive approach to maintenance. Thus, rids you of your worries about dependability and network speed solutions. They are always on standby to detect any potential vulnerabilities, disturbances, or threats. Then, fix them as quickly as possible.

Bottom Line

As technology continues to transform the world of business, there is a need for you to streamline your business’ IT operations. Hiring a qualified managed services provider saves you money, time, and frustrations, and, more importantly, enhances your business’ productivity.

Are you worried about how to secure the best-managed IT services provider in Fort Lauderdale? Worry no more! Bluwater Technologies, a WheelHouse IT company, has got you covered. Contact us today to see the difference.

Remote Hosted Desktops and Security – How to Protect your Data

remote hosted desktops and security how to protect yourself and your data

With so many people working from home, remote-hosted desktops are particularly useful. They can allow an employee to access everything they can in the office smoothly. However, they are also open to potential abuse, and vulnerabilities in remote desktop protocols are significant and growing. Here are some tips on how to protect your data when you have employees using remote desktops:

Limit Devices

The best practice for remote desktops is to issue the employee a company-owned laptop and allow only that device access to the remote desktop. This means you control the security software on the laptop and can prevent employees from installing personal software that might cause problems. You can also use this as an extra layer of security by enforcing a password on the device.

In general, users can be easily discouraged from using phones and tablets for remote desktops specifically, as it seldom works well and they have alternative methods for things like quick email checks.

You can also restrict access to only locations where your employees are likely to be. Locking to specific IPs is possible, but can cause problems; for example, even if your employee only ever works from home, rebooting their network router will change their computer’s IP and lock them out. However, you can restrict by geography, disallowing connections from overseas.

Control User Permissions

Many companies are careless about granting permissions to users and giving employees carte blanche access. Compartmentalizing user permissions and allowing them access only to the files they need can go a long way toward ensuring that a hacker can’t get to all of your data from one compromised account.

Obviously, you need to make sure you don’t negatively impact productivity, but making HR files read-only, for example, can be useful in protecting from malicious actors.

Protect your Data by Enabling Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication is good practice for all accounts. One good way is to use token-generating software that texts a code to the employee’s cell phone. These codes can only be used once, so are unlikely to be compromised.

You should also limit login attempts so as to prevent brute force attacks and encourage the use of good password hygiene. Passphrases are better than passwords as they are easier to remember.

Monitor Suspicious Activity

One concern with remote work is that supervisors can no longer do random checks on employees in their offices or cubicles. However, it is possible to keep at least a basic check on odd behavior. Obviously, you should not micromanage people, which reduces engagement and productivity. Things you can monitor, though, include connection attempts from odd locations or at times when the employee concerned does not normally work. VPN systems can generally spot unusually high network activity, which can also be a red flag.

Use Encryption to Protect your Data

Requiring files to be encrypted during remote work can improve security on top of using a VPN. The files cannot be read in transit even if an employee forgets to connect to their VPN or turns it off because the system is so slow they are unable to work, both of which have been known to happen.

Use AES 128 and/or AES 256 as the gold standard to protect your data.

Choose a Good Provider

Finally, make sure that the provider handling your servers is using up-to-date security methods. Ask about firewalls and rolling or incremental backups. Also, make sure they have a good record in terms of uptime. It’s even harder for remote workers to continue to operate when the network is down. Additionally, if they are using a virtual desktop they may not be able to access any of their files and may not be able to store stuff locally.

If you have employees using remote-hosted desktops or similar protocols and need advice on how to keep things secure, protect your data, and sustain productivity, contact Bluwater Technologies today.

Are Distractions at Home Increasing Vulnerability to Cyber Attacks?

are distractions at home increasing vulnerability to cyber attacks

A lot of people are still working from home right now. Furthermore, many are not working from home under ideal conditions. They may be sharing an “office” with somebody else working from home, trying to care for children, dealing with pets, etc. On top of that, everyone is rather stressed right now. Could this be causing problems with cyber attacks?

Distractions and Cybersecurity

A study done by Tessian in April showed that 43% of a sample of employees in both the UK and the US admitted to errors that could have cybersecurity repercussions.

These errors included sending emails to the wrong person, clicking on links in a phishing email, and employees blaming fatigue, stress, and distraction. Furthermore, the worst offenders were in the tech industry…closely followed by banking and finance. These kinds of errors endanger companies and customers.

To make things worse, cyberattack attempts are also up as criminals take advantage of the shift to remote working. Scammers are using fears over COVID-19 to sell fake masks, trying to use stimulus checks to get personal information, etc. So, not only are workers more inclined to fail to notice a phishing attempt, but they may be receiving more of them.

Some people struggle more than others with working from home, but everyone is likely to be distracted right now, whether it’s by their family, the news, or the climbing case numbers.

What Should Employers Do About Cyber Attacks?

Unfortunately, reopening the office is unlikely to be an option for most companies before at least the fall, if not the end of the year. Schools also remain virtual in many areas, leaving employees stuck with childcare or trying to monitor remote learning. Meanwhile, employees, feeling the situation to be temporary, are unable or unwilling to make major changes to their lifestyle to accommodate remote work.

Employee training is, thus, the best and perhaps only option to resolve this situation. It’s important to continue to refresh cybersecurity training while employees are working from home.

Giving advice and tools to reduce distractions could also be helpful for many employees, especially those for whom a separate office with a closed door is not an option.

Simple ways to help focus include:

  • Playing music, ideally without lyrics.
  • Using the Pomodoro or similar technique to force alternating periods of focus and break.
  • Putting on street clothes rather than trying to work in your pajamas. For many people, this helps the brain get into work mode.
  • Planning out a schedule for the week.
  • Work out what distracts you and deal with it before work.
  • Use timers to block social media and other distracting sites.
  • Turn off your personal phone unless you need it for work.
  • Stick to your normal work schedule and hours.

None of these require that employees invest heavily in a temporary situation, and they can make a huge difference in productivity and focus. However, it’s best to avoid trying to force the removal of distractions. One university got into a PR mess by saying that workers could not care for their children while working from home. Sadly, this is unavoidable for many right now.

Working from home is making all of us more distracted (in some cases even including people who were already working from home, but now have to deal with spouses, children, and the overall stress of the situation). Employers need to make sure that these distractions don’t result in security breaches with improved training and by helping employees learn how to better focus when their office is in their living room.

For help with your IT problems and more advice on cyber attacks and employee training, contact Bluwater Technologies today.