6 Key Mistakes that Can Sabotage IT Security
A new report from FireHost, a data security vendor, details a proactive approach to securing protected health information. The report covers issues such as compliance vs. security; the high cost of reactive planning; risk assessment and management; and actionable tactics. It also lists six mistakes to avoid.
Don’t sacrifice security in favor of compliance.
Complying with HIPAA rules may seem like a bigger priority, and many believe HIPAA compliance will take care of many security issues. However, neglecting security can lead to a complete take-down of your system, and procrastinating on compliance can lead to costly fines.
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Don’t ignore potential vulnerabilities that leave you open to opportunistic criminals.
No matter how small the exposure, any vulnerability offers the potential for a breach, with huge consequences. Weaknesses in infrastructure have led to breaches in large corporations, ruining their reputations and costing them millions of dollars.
Don’t wait for a breach to happen before taking action.
A reactive approach to security will be costly in terms of finances, productivity and reputation. No organization can consider itself immune from breaches — taking a proactive approach, by implementing thorough security and compliance policies, is the only way to reduce risks.
Don’t consider security and compliance to be the same thing.
Compliance and security involve separate specialized capabilities in protecting data. Although experts recommend tackling security first, both compliance and security must receive equal effort.
Don’t assume a secure infrastructure will last forever.
Don’t allow your IT infrastructure to become vulnerable because of a lack of updates or upgrades. Systems must be continually updated to ensure data is protected and threats are minimized.
Don’t take on these initiatives without guidance.
Keeping a healthcare institution’s system running is a huge task, even without factoring in HIPAA compliance and overall data security. An experienced compliance expert help an organization avoid penalties and prevent security breaches.
Date: March 25, 2015