Content by Howard Anderson

Facebook Clarifies Extent of Data Breach

Howard Anderson  •  October 12, 2018

Facebook now says that 20 million fewer accounts were breached than it originally believed, but the attackers accessed extensive sensitive personal information on nearly half of those affected.

Facebook Removes 'Bad Actors' for 'Inauthentic' Activity

Howard Anderson  •  July 31, 2018

Facebook says it has shut down 32 pages and accounts that it claims were "engaged in coordinated inauthentic behavior" apparently designed to influence U.S. politics. But the social network stopped short of attributing the "bad actors" to Russia.

US Indicts 13 Russians for Election Interference

Howard Anderson  •  February 16, 2018

A U.S. grand jury has taken the extraordinary step of indicting 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies for allegedly interfering with the U.S. political system, including the 2016 presidential election, in what the Justice Department portrays as "information warfare against the United States."

What's Wrong With Relying on HIPAA Compliance?

Howard Anderson  •  July 6, 2017

Healthcare organizations that rely too heavily on HIPAA compliance are coming up short when it comes to security, says Jennings Aske, an attorney who's CISO at New York-Presbyterian. A far better approach, he says, is to rely on the NIST cybersecurity framework or other comprehensive frameworks.

PCI DSS Updated to Address SSL Risk

Howard Anderson  •  April 15, 2015

The PCI Security Standards Council has published a new version of its data security standard that calls for ending the use of the outdated Secure Sockets Layer encryption protocol that can put payment data at risk.

Healthcare InfoSec Survey Results Debut

Howard Anderson  •  March 24, 2014

A free webinar will provide an overview and analysis of the results of the Healthcare Information Security Today survey, which finds that most organizations lack a documented infosec strategy.

Breach May Affect 4 Million Patients

Howard Anderson  •  August 26, 2013

The recent theft of four unencrypted computers from the Chicago-area Advocate Medical Group physicians practice may have exposed the personal data of more than 4 million patients.

$400,000 Penalty in HIPAA Case

Howard Anderson  •  May 22, 2013

A $400,000 federal penalty stemming from the investigation of a breach at a clinic owned by Idaho State University is the latest example of how even relatively small security incidents can trigger hefty sanctions.

Encryption: Four Essential Steps

Howard Anderson  •  May 15, 2013

Encryption is an important breach prevention tool. But to make the right decisions about how to apply encryption, healthcare organizations should take four specific steps, says security expert Feisal Nanji.

Pairing HIPAA and HITECH Compliance

Howard Anderson  •  April 29, 2013

The privacy and security provisions of the HIPAA Omnibus Rule and the HITECH Act EHR incentive program "dovetail together quite nicely," says federal privacy officer Joy Pritts, who offers compliance tips.

Survey: Encryption Momentum Building

Howard Anderson  •  April 10, 2013

To prevent data breaches, healthcare organizations are taking a number of critical steps, including ramping up their use of encryption, the second annual Healthcare Information Security Today Survey shows.

Medical Devices: New Security Help

Howard Anderson  •  March 6, 2013

The HIPAA Omnibus Rule could play an important role in improving the security of medical devices that store patient data, says an official with the agency that enforces HIPAA. Find out what part the rule could play.

Assessing Whether to Report a Breach

Howard Anderson  •  March 4, 2013

Consumer advocate Deven McGraw describes how a new federal rule spells out four factors that must be weighed in a risk assessment to determine if a health data breach must be reported.

HIPAA Audits Wrapping Up

Howard Anderson  •  October 2, 2012

HIPAA compliance audits for 115 healthcare organizations will be completed by year's end, and federal officials are investigating options for how to continue the program beyond this first round.

Pritts: Press EHR Vendors for Answers

Howard Anderson  •  October 1, 2012

Healthcare providers implementing electronic health records need to take steps to ensure that their EHR vendors are adequately addressing privacy and security issues, says Joy Pritts, chief privacy officer at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT.