Technology has changed the way that healthcare is delivered to patients, and it has helped to stabilize costs, increase access, and personalize the care delivery process. That said, these innovations have led many to question the privacy of patient data, bringing the issue front and center. Let’s take a look at how IT has changed the way that the healthcare industry functions in regard to data privacy.
To an extent, we all know how important security is, but unless you are making it an integral part of your operations, chances are you are not doing enough to keep it secure from threats. Your network security might be one of the most critical parts of securing your organization’s future, and not for the reasons you might expect.
With so many accounts required on an everyday basis, it’s no surprise that people often struggle with passwords and password security. One way that individuals try to manage the countless passwords used on a daily basis while keeping them secure is through the use of password managers. What does a password manager do, and why should you consider implementing one for your business?
Now that Google’s Android Messages application has end-to-end encryption, it might be a good time to discuss the concept of what end-to-end encryption actually is and why it’s important. Let’s take a closer look.
Cryptocurrencies--especially those that have recently surged into relevance--rely on blockchain technology, but what many people do not know is that blockchain is far more than a way to exchange digital currencies. In fact, cryptocurrency was just the beginning. Let’s take a look at the other practical uses for blockchain technology, including what it is and how it can help businesses.
Facebook is by far the largest social media network and it does bring a lot of value to a lot of people. Whether that be for personal use or professional use, Facebook has staked a claim as the most successful technology company in the world. With this comes scrutiny, especially if you’ve operated the way Facebook has over the past few years. Let’s take a look at a situation that Facebook is dealing with in 2021.
While it seems decidedly commonplace nowadays, the Internet is undeniably a miracle of the modern age—shrinking the world in a way never seen before. Of course, this has complicated things considerably in terms of the rules that the Internet must comply with, based on regional regulations. Let’s reexamine the impact that these laws, regulations, and restrictions have had on how the Internet appears across the globe.
2020 is finally coming to a close. It has been an extraordinarily long year for most small businesses. Even if yours hasn’t seen a lot of the financial problems that thousands of businesses are seeing, you've definitely had to make some major adjustments that often come with additional cost. Through it all, one part of your business has been a rock, your people.
When you take a long look at cybersecurity, you need to understand that the main purpose of it is to protect people’s ideas, people’s identities, and people’s effort. It isn’t all about protecting money, even though that obviously is a consideration. This notion led us to a thought experiment that Gizmodo recently undertook: What would happen if all the data stored in the world was suddenly leaked, open for the world to see? We’ve put together some of the responses.
Unless you run a business in which each and every employee is responsible for identical tasks, you are going to encounter the need for variable permissions among your staff so that your data can be better protected. One effective means of enforcing these permissions is through an access management policy. Let’s review a few components you should include in such a policy.
With data being such a valuable asset today (especially personally identifiable data), you can’t afford to let any of the information your company has access to fall into the wrong hands. The same goes for all of your data, especially that which concerns your employees or your clients. Let’s go over a few tips that should help you keep this data safe, step by step.
Over time, your business will accumulate a lot of data, including some that certain employees or departments will have no need to see (or perhaps shouldn’t see). An effective way of keeping eyes from wandering is through an access management policy. Let’s go over a few elements you ought to prioritize in your approach to controlling internal access.
It can be easy to slack off when it comes to good password practices. Many users still use the same password across multiple sites and often don’t use secure passwords. Password managers make this a lot easier, but it’s really two-factor authentication (2FA) that can make all the difference. Strong, unique passwords are still important (not all accounts offer two-factor authentication) but let’s talk about why you should always enable two-factor or multifactor on all of your accounts when possible.
Imagine a scenario where your password has been stolen by a hacker. Now your accounts are completely at the mercy of them. What do you do? Obviously you want to change the password, but are you going to learn from this mistake or let it happen again in the future? Thankfully, two-factor authentication offers a solution to this dilemma, and it’s one that you might not have considered in the past.
Over 90 percent of people in the United States feel like their data is out of their control, and judging from the impression that the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation left on the world, it’s surely not going to be the last piece of privacy legislation that is issued. Still, will it be enough to urge certain governments and organizations to practice what they preach? The results could have long-lasting effects on businesses, as well.
Earlier this week, you may have seen the first part of this article, where we discussed how robocallers collect your information. Today, we continue our discussion on data privacy and what you can do to keep your organization and personal data safe.
Protecting your business’ data is no simple task. To make it as secure as possible, you’ll have to understand how personal data flows through online channels. We’re digging pretty deep with this one, so get ready for an informative and, if nothing else, interesting read. This topic is especially important in an age where Facebook and Google exist, but there are countless other threats to data privacy out there that we all experience on a regular basis--business or not.
If you’re not tech-oriented, the mere sight of a server room might be a lot to take in. With wires everywhere and mechanical boxes filled with moving parts, you’re looking at the life’s blood of your business and the heart that pumps it through your business’ veins. While proxy servers are a little different from your standard server, this doesn’t change the fact that you probably shouldn’t mess with it. What is a proxy server, and what does it do?
Every business (and every individual, for that matter) needs to be wary of Internet scams and other online tricks. This is because those scammers are wily and have many means of finding a user in a compromising position… or so they claim in a recent scam.
Secrets need to be protected. That’s why humans created cryptography. Cryptography can be traced back to around the time the pharaohs ruled Egypt, but today’s cryptography is a lot different than simple hieroglyph replacement. Cryptography used in the computing systems today is called encryption. For this week’s tech term we will look back at the history of encryption and how it is used today to facilitate data security and personal privacy.
Another eleventh-hour spending bill passed through the U.S. Congress and was signed into law on March 23, 2018. This time, however, there was a certain earmark that may work to erode individual privacy protection around the globe. The new law, called the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (or CLOUD) Act, amends the Stored Communications Act of 1986 and gives unelected American officials extensive powers over global digital privacy rights.
The holiday season is coming to a close, with meals shared and gifts opened. You may have even received a new gizmo or doodad that you’re looking forward to trying out. Not to burst your bubble, but there is unfortunately a chance that the gizmo you had hoped to get (or purchased for a loved one) may lead to a security breach.
The Equifax data breach has been a considerable issue for countless individuals, exposing sensitive information that could lead to identity theft and so much more. In response to this breach, some experts are recommending that consumers go as far as freezing their credit lines because of the potential for breaches. Well, it all comes down to a PIN--something that can be easily guessed by a hacker under the right circumstances.
Every October, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) join forces to drive cyber security awareness. Cybercrime is a constant threat to individuals and businesses, alike. In fact, the risk is so significant that the US government decided to step up and offer information and resources stressing the importance of cyber security and raise awareness on the best practices to utilize when protect your nonpublic information.
Security needs to be a priority for everyone involved with business. This has led to a rise in the use of solutions that will protect the security and privacy of the user and their systems. A very common, yet effective, means of securing your data is to use a virtual private network, or VPN.
With the explosive popularity of social networking, the Internet seems to be a less private place than ever. With both communication and cyber crime rising in commonality, online privacy seems to be turning into a less attainable goal than ever. However, for this week’s tip, we’ll review some of the tools out there that can help you fight for your right to privacy.
Ransomware, the malware that locks down its victim’s files until they pay up, has always been a frustrating issue to deal with. However, a recent mobile ransomware will make the issue a little more personal… by sharing the victim’s mobile browsing history.
Due to recent legislative activity, the rules and regulations that the Federal Communications Commission put in place to protect the personal data of Internet users have been struck down. This change now allows ISPs, or Internet Service Providers, to sell the browsing information of their customers to advertisers without consent--a move many consider to be a threat to net neutrality. This is what you need to know.
It’s a tough lesson to learn, but almost any company is susceptible to cyber-attacks that take advantage of any security setup’s weakest link: the people involved. This lesson was most recently learned the hard way by two unnamed tech companies that fell victim to a phishing campaign that was allegedly run by Evaldas Rimasauskas, a Lithuanian man accused of stealing $100 million from them.
One of the biggest fears of every smartphone user is having their phone stolen. Compounding this fear is the additional risk of the thief accessing the contents of the device and doing with it as they please. To help reduce the injury that comes from the insult of a stolen phone, security developers have come up with several clever solutions.
Did you know that many webcams are infested with RATs? Not unlike their furry counterparts, RATs (or Remote Access Tools) are a nuisance that can cross the line into hazardous. This form of software allows a non-user to spy on a computer, giving them the ability to steal information or even record you and your environment with a PC’s webcam.
One major advantage of the cloud is that it allows users to easily share files. Although, due to just how easy it is to share files, this advantage may also prove to be a disadvantage, especially when inexperienced users are the ones doing the sharing. The next time your business shares a file with a cloud-based file sharing service, be sure to account for these three risks.
Data security is arguably one of the most important parts of running a business, especially when personally identifiable or confidential information is being shared across your network. Yet, some businesses continue to ignore security in favor of a “more convenient” approach which doesn’t hinder operations. When implemented properly, your security not only augments operations, but secures your organization’s data infrastructure.
Social Media allows businesses to share their brand with the outside world in entirely new ways. While the benefit of social media is that everyone and their mother is on it, the problem with social media is that everyone and their mother is on it. People put all sorts of information on their accounts, which translates into a major security risk in the form of targeted phishing attacks.
Healthcare organizations are a hot topic when it comes to cybersecurity, as even a small data breach could turn into a goldmine for hackers. Recently, IBM’s 2016 Cyber Security Intelligence Index has reported a data breach that exposed more than 10 million medical records, which shows us just how scary a breach of this kind can be. The secret weapon, in many cases, is a threat called ransomware.
If you made use of Acer’s online store to purchase a device between May 12, of 2015 and April 28, 2016, we have some bad news for you: There’s a chance you received a letter from Acer to inform you that your card’s credentials were stolen.
As time goes on, the password has proven time and again that it’s not going to be enough to keep hackers out of online accounts and other sensitive parts of your IT infrastructure. One of the most valuable responses to this development was two-factor authentication, which is part of a more complex overarching trend that involves much more than simple two-factor authentication.
There’s no questioning Apple’s dedication to the advancement of technology, especially over the past few decades. With the iPhone being the first of many commercially available smartphones, Apple has always been at the forefront of exciting consumer technology developments. Now, however, their most important decision yet may come in the form of a face-off with the FBI.
Drones are great devices for entertainment. Whether they’re flying in races or recording breathtaking videos or photos from a bird’s-eye view, drones can help you feel like you’re on top of the world. Unfortunately, just like all types of technology, drones can be abused. Violations of drone legislation have led authorities to ask a difficult question: how can you get an illegal drone out of the sky, without risking those who are passing by below?
Businesses that have online dealings should always be aware of how much danger their operations are in, especially with the omnipresent threat of hackers. Depending on the severity of the hacking attack, some organizations might not even know they’ve been hacked until it’s far too late. It’s critical that your business is able to identify potential threats before they’ve caused irreparable damage to your infrastructure.
More often than not, it’s always recommended that you use a solid password to optimize your online accounts. However, just because passwords are critical, doesn’t mean that you should put all your eggs in one basket. Passwords should only be the start of a comprehensive online account security setup.
Many computer users make use of security tools that limit their exposure to hackers, and they generally understand that hacks are something that can realistically happen to them. On the other hand, there are plenty of other folks out there who don’t worry enough. They might think their PC holds no value to the average hacker, but they’re wrong.
How often have you logged into your Google account, only to find that there’s some suspicious activity going on? You might wonder why, where, and how this happened, but in case you weren’t aware, you can access some of this information by simply checking out your Google account’s security settings. Here’s how it’s done.
For many businesses, few parts of a network’s infrastructure are as important as the email management system. It’s a pain point for most businesses, but so many of them don’t understand how best to protect their network from the threats that come through the email medium. What kind of threats should you expect to see, and how can you best protect your business from them?
The word “hack” is a most peculiar word. When we use it, it’s often in the context of discussing a data breach. But did you know that “hack” has been a part of the English language since before computers and even electricity were a thing? Read on to learn more about the fascinating meanings of hack!
As a business owner, you depend on your network security solution to protect your assets. You trust it to do its job without your intervention, but do you know how it works? One of the most basic parts of network security is a firewall. These are the first lines of defense against threats which can potentially steal information or destroy it completely. In order to get the most out of your network security solution, it’s your responsibility to understand how a firewall works.
When you see the results of a major hacking campaign on the news, you might tend to sympathize with the victim. While most hacks target individuals or high-profile businesses, hackers have, for the first time, intentionally targeted each other. The attack in question occurred between Naikon, a cyberespionage group, and another group called Hellsing.
If a company neglects network security, they’ll quickly find their network inundated with threats. However, if you fail to protect your business from internal problems as well, you might have a whole other monster on your hands. Some businesses have encountered this problem when employees access certain documents and then accidentally misplace or delete them, causing damage that your organization was not particularly prepared for.
Have you ever been prompted to change your password, then forgotten what the new one was twenty seconds later? Changing passwords consistently is a good practice, but let’s face it; unless you have them put away somewhere, you are probably going to forget about them at least once (unless you use a post-it note on your monitor, which is never a good idea). Additionally, if passwords are short and easily guessable, you risk being targeted by a phishing attack or other hacking attack.
Wireless connections like WiFi can be tricky at times. Either they don’t work, the connection isn’t a very good one, or there are too many people using it for it to be effective. Whatever the reason, you can bet that there are people using your WiFi who shouldn’t be can be. This can lead to many problems including security concerns, slow browsing speeds, and more.
Humans are always striving to create the next big security measure against the massive wave of online threats. One topic consistently in discussion is biometrics as a security measure, which take advantage of unique biological aspects of users in order to maximize security. Now, the US military is seeing the value of this kind of technology, and they’re funding a campaign to make it available to users.
Online dating has been around long enough that it no longer carries a negative social stigma. In fact, you may know of some success stories from online dating--or you may have even successfully used online dating yourself. When looking for online love, remember to use protection from scammers.
You’ve got a lot of sensitive information stored on your mobile device. If it were to fall into the wrong hands, you wouldn’t want the new user to have easy access to it. This is why every mobile device should be locked. Here’s how to lock your Android device, as well as how to pick out a lock screen setting that’s right for you.
Your identity has quite a lot of value, especially in the wrong hands. Security firm ZoneAlarm put together some numbers in 2011 concerning identity fraud, and it even shocked us. Let's talk about a few of these statistics and what it means.
Email is (and has been) a prime method of communication for businesses of all sizes. With email comes a whole slew of issues that are essentially synonymous with the technology; spam, information overload, phishing, and information privacy. Even Arizona small businesses that only do business locally are at risk of these issues. Personal email accounts are equally at risk. Employing proper precautions and practices whenever communicating via email is very important to prevent the risk of security compromises, monetary loss, and even legality issues.
