6 Key Mistakes that Can Sabotage IT Security
March 30, 2015 9:54 AM
The report covers issues such as compliance vs. security; the high cost of reactive planning; risk assessment and management; and actionable tactics. It also lists six mistakes to avoid. Photo: Fotolia
Dont sacrifice security in favor of compliance.
Complying with HIPAA rules may seem like a bigger priority, and many believe HIPAA compliance will take care of many security issues. However, neglecting security can lead to a complete take-down of your system, and procrastinating on compliance can lead to costly fines. Photo: iStock
Dont ignore potential vulnerabilities that leave you open to opportunistic criminals.
No matter how small the exposure, any vulnerability offers the potential for a breach, with huge consequences. Weaknesses in infrastructure have led to breaches in large corporations, ruining their reputations and costing them millions of dollars. Photo: iStock
Dont wait for a breach to happen before taking action.
A reactive approach to security will be costly in terms of finances, productivity and reputation. No organization can consider itself immune from breaches -- taking a proactive approach, by implementing thorough security and compliance policies, is the only way to reduce risks. Photo: iStock
Dont consider security and compliance to be the same thing.
Compliance and security involve separate specialized capabilities in protecting data. Although experts recommend tackling security first, both compliance and security must receive equal effort. Photo: Fotolia
Dont assume a secure infrastructure will last forever.
Dont allow your IT infrastructure to become vulnerable because of a lack of updates or upgrades. Systems must be continually updated to ensure data is protected and threats are minimized. Photo: Fotolia
Dont take on these initiatives without guidance.
Keeping a healthcare institutions system running is a huge task, even without factoring in HIPAA compliance and overall data security. An experienced compliance expert help an organization avoid penalties and prevent security breaches. Photo: Fotolia
Learn More
The complete 33-page report from FireHost is available here. Brief registration is required. Special thanks to HealthData Management for the slide show. Visit more of our galleries here. Photo: Fotolia