We’re hardly half-way through 2012, and the year has witnessed a heaving number of data breaches already! Ranging from data theft and negligence to disgruntled employees and carelessness, a wide range of data breaches has been noted so far, and the problem seems to be only growing. Here’s a look at 10 of the largest…
The federal breach tally that has been growing steadily has now exceeded 20 million. The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights usually adds breaches to its tally after it conducts an investigation and confirms the details. Since May 23rd 2012, 29 breaches have affected about 935,000 individuals have been added to…
Cyber threats are on the rise. There is no denying that. As the healthcare industry continues its conversion process from paper documents to electronic medical records, a tremendous increase in the data breaches is being experienced. Operational inefficiencies and security vulnerabilities have skyrocketed in the health care sector, owing to the use of new technologies.…
HIPPA Compliance management can be convoluted and at times expensive. However, think again if you are not compliant, as its non-compliance can cost you a huge packet! Phoenix Cardiac Surgery P.C, a small Arizona physician group practice can testify to that. Because of a three-year federal investigation that began on February 2009, this small practice…
An alarming number of data breaches are being witnessed in the healthcare industry today. The number of breaches affecting 500 or more patients has risen above the 400 incidents mark, affecting nearly 19.2 million individuals overall. As the breach tally continues to grow steadily, experts are paying very close attention to the factors contributing to…
Credit card companies have always been vulnerable to a number of security concerns. And with a hack attack reported by Global Payments, an Atlanta company processing credit and debit cards, these concerns have intensified. Potentially exposing hundreds of thousands of account holders to fraud, this attack has heightened customer concerns about identity theft. Putting at…
The Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently reached a settlement demanding $1.5 million and corrective action as penalty in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee case. This and the other similar breach cases where heavy penalties were sought, make us wonder ‘what are the determinants of the fine imposed by…
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights investigates breaches and adds the affected number to the tally of total healthcare information breaches.This breach tally has been growing steadily over the past two months. The federal ‘Wall of Shame’ now includes 409 breach incidents affecting nearly 19.2 million individuals since September 2009…
You may be wondering what caused a security breach, or how it actually occurred, and also be totally unaware that you were not even targeted, but you merely fell prey to a random attack- At least, that’s what a recent report by Verizon indicates: Nearly eight out of ten cyber attacks in 2011 were committed…
In an interview with Howard Anderson from HealthcareInfoSecurity, Leon Rodriguez, Director of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil Rights (OCR) outlined the HIPAA audit plans for the this year and next. He said that the number of completed HIPAA audits this year will be lesser than the originally planned 150, and…
