Monday, July 7, 2014

New York Network Security Company Offers Healthcare Industry IT Security Solutions That Guard Patient Privacy

By Lonnie Trevarthen


A computer system that is set up to serve the needs of a health care organization has a big responsibility. It is in charge of the confidential medical records of a large group of patients. Therefore, a New York Network Security Company must be especially diligent.

Some of the data can be protected by simply assigning a name and password to each employee who needs to see it. It is the systems administrator who sets policy. Data is monitored to make certain no unauthorized personnel access it.

A variety of factors keep the information private. First, the health care organization will use its own private network. Each employee is allowed access to the information required to perform his or her job.

These records contain sensitive information on the health care history of each patient. It must be protected from outsiders while allowing instant access to physicians and nurses involved in direct care. Individuals higher up in the hierarchy of personnel will be allowed access.

Security begins with one-factor authentication. This means each authorized person is assigned a name and password. This is a simple precaution to take, insufficient for a health care organization.

For example, two-factor authenticating requires another means of identification. The worker must use a name, unique password plus a software token, such as a picture. However, a breach is still possible.

Much more effective is the three-factor authentication. Name, password and software token are all used. However, there is more. A retinal scan or fingerprint scan is added to the authentication protocol.

Although a firewall is in place, all viruses may not be kept from invading the system. It may still be hacked by those who illegally obtain information. This would not be done by an employee, but, rather someone outside the company.

Any health care system requires all aforementioned precautions and possibly more. For example, some systems can automatically require employees to change their passwords regularly. If an employee forgets his or her password, as will inevitably happen, a new one can only be set in the presence of supervisors.




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