- #Macbook encryption hipaa full#
- #Macbook encryption hipaa portable#
- #Macbook encryption hipaa password#
However, these logs can and will get VERY large.
#Macbook encryption hipaa full#
The full detail of your database activity is also known as a “transaction log” and it is very useful if you are replicating your database from one server to another, or if you want to make certain kinds of backups or provide recovery points for certain kinds of server failures. So, while it is possible to log all database activity, that does not actually address HIPAA’s requirements at all, as this activity generally will not include any information about “what person” interacted with your web application to cause that activity. The “who” here is the end user of your web site. In the majority of cases, all literal database reads and writes are performed by a single “database user” acting at the bequest of your web site application. HIPAA wants to make sure that you log “who” accessed ePHI, when that happened, etc. We are often asked about database audit trails for all of the accesses (reads, writes, updates) made to customer databases … as at first glance, it may appear that HIPAA and other forms of compliance are asking for that … “the more and more detailed the logs, the better,” one may think. Here, we will attempt to address some of these subtle questions for you. These range from confusion over auditing of access to stored ePHI to what HIPAA’s data encryption requirements actually are to how HIPAA applies to MySQL databases.
#Macbook encryption hipaa portable#
The decision not to encrypt data on portable storage devices ended up costing CardioNet $2.5 million.We get a number of questions every week regarding MySQL databases and HIPAA web site compliance. While encryption carries a cost, it is likely to be much cheaper than an OCR fine. The simple solution to ensure that ePHI is safeguarded is to use encryption (following NIST recommendations) on all portable devices used to store ePHI.
#Macbook encryption hipaa password#
OCR would determine the use of a password – rather than encryption – to be a violation of the HIPAA Security Rule. A strong password is therefore not a safeguard equivalent to encryption. While the use of a strong password may prevent data being accessed by thieves, it would not be sufficient to prevent a determined individual from gaining access to a device. While HIPAA Rules do not require encryption to be used to protect ePHI on portable storage devices, if the decision is taken not to use encryption, an equivalent safeguard must be used.
If an encrypted device is lost or stolen, the incident does not need to be reported to OCR, patients do not need to be notified, and most importantly, patients’ ePHI will not be exposed if devices are lost or stolen. The CardioNet, Lifespan, and WHS breaches could all have been prevented if encryption had been used. The breach report submitted to OCR indicates 15, 326 individuals were impacted by the incident. Individuals affected by the breach have also been offered credit monitoring and identity theft protection services out of an abundance of caution. In response to the incident, WHS has taken steps to enhance its procedures relating to the storage of sensitive data on mobile devices and employees have been retrained on safeguarding sensitive information. WHS has not received any reports suggesting data on the device have been accessed or used inappropriately, although an impermissible disclosure could not be ruled out. The theft was reported to law enforcement, but the vehicle and flash drive have not been recovered. In this case, the flash drive was password protected, although WHS determined on Februthat encryption had not been used on the device. The flash drive had been left in the van. The data on the drive related to individuals who had undergone blood screening tests between 20.Ī WHS employee was on route to a health fair in a WHS-owned vehicle on Februwhen the vehicle was stolen. Western Health Screening (WHS), a Billings, MT-based provider of on-site blood screening services, announced that patients’ names, phone numbers, addresses and some Social Security numbers have been exposed. The second incident involved a flash drive rather than a laptop.
More than 20,000 patients’ ePHI was potentially compromised.
ePHI was accessible via the employee’s email account. The device was not encrypted and neither protected with a password. Earlier this week, Lifespan announced that a MacBook had been left in an employee’s vehicle from where it was stolen. This week has also seen two data breaches reported that have similarly involved the theft of portable devices. The incident that sparked the investigation was the theft of an unencrypted laptop computer from the vehicle of a CardioNet employee.
This week, OCR announced a new settlement with a covered entity to resolve HIPAA violations discovered during the investigation of an impermissible disclosure of ePHI.
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