A decade ago, pretty much all health records were paper. Then, in a matter of few years, health care organizations switched to electronic records. But the security of digital health has not kept up with its growth. Other industries, like financial services and the federal government, have devoted more than 12 percent to their IT budgets to cybersecurity. Health care has the average of just half of that. Also, the cost of mitigation has soared with an average breach costing $355 per stolen record for health care organizations, and not to mention reputation damage that accompanies it. Below are 10 IT security best practices to keep your network secure.
Cyberattacks are at an all-time high and nonprofits are being targeted with phishing schemes and nefarious software designed to collect ransom and wreak havoc. Threats are coming at nonprofits from every angle, especially as we deploy solutions for a distributed workforce. Here are some easy ways to keep your network secure.
1. Implement two-factor authentication code. Yes, while it is annoying having to check your second email for the code. It beats having your constituents sensitive information leaked and having possibly being fired from your organization.
2. Set Your Software to Auto Update. Safeguard against the latest viruses and malware.
3. Secure Your In-House Hardware. Protect your computer hardware from theft.
4. Establish Security Policies. Educate employees on security best practices.
5. Encrypt Your Data. Auto-encryption folders help protect confidential documents, such as those created by Human Resources, from being accessed by unauthorized users.
6. Use Monitoring Software. Equip devices with antivirus monitoring software.
7. Secure External Network Access. Use one-time password tokens for external users.
8. Perform Internal Security Audits. Regularly review security policies to keep up-to-date on the latest technology updates.
9. Establish Strong Security Rules for Admins. Define strong security rules for Administer accounts and make sure login credentials are stored securely.
10. Define Your BYOD Policies. Bring your own devices (BYOD) is a trend of employees using their mobile devices at work. Examine your organizations protocol and use cases when it come to BYOD.
Join Tech Impact and the nonprofit community for a 3-day event (September 17-19, 2017 Nashville, TN) to engage, learn and envision how technology can transform the way we work as nonprofits.
Sessions and Breakouts
Leadership Breakout: “Opportunities and Challenges Within a Mobile Workforce”
Program Breakout: “Cyber Attacks: Prevention, Detection, and Compliance”
Technical Breakout: “Malware and a Mobile Workforce”
