Computer Security

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By Akindman,

Computer security is a branch of computer technology known as information security as applied to computers and networks. The objective of computer security includes protection of information and property from theft, corruption, or natural disaster, while allowing the information and property to remain accessible and productive to its intended users. The term computer system security means the collective processes and mechanisms by which sensitive and valuable information and services are protected from publication, tampering or collapse by unauthorized activities or untrustworthy individuals and unplanned events respectively. The strategies and methodologies of computer security often differ from most other computer technologies because of its somewhat elusive objective of preventing unwanted computer behavior instead of enabling wanted computer behavior. (Wikipedia)

20 Things to do on Computer Security Day

1. Change your password
2. Check for computer viruses
3. Update your anti-virus/anti-malware
4. Update your Windows (or other OS)
5. Clean your computer and the immediate area
6. Back-up your data (after being certain that it is virus free)
7. Delete unneeded files and apps (and Facebook ‘friends’ that you don’t remember seeing in the last 5 years!)
8. Update all your installed and relevant software such ad adobe reader
9. Declare and amnesty day for computer security violators who wish to reform.
10. Announce COMPUTER SECURITY DAY in your internal newsletter.
11. Install and inspect power surge protection as appropriate.
12. Develop a recovery plan for all computer systems that require one.
13. Verify that passwords are not ‘Posted’ and all other keys are secured.
14. Verify that backup power and air conditioning fir your needs.
15. Hold a discussion of ethics with computer users.
16. Volunteer to speak about computer security at a local computer club.
17. Register and pay for all commercial software that is used on your computer.
18. Consider the privacy aspect of the data on your computer and protect it.
19. Help to propagate computer security awareness!
20. Promote computer security best practice.

Health Information Privacy and Security Week

April 10 - 16, 2011

Is designed to raise awareness among the public about the importance of personal health information privacy and security.

This is one of those topics that everyone seems to have there own view and or combination of them – all of which complicate an already near impossible challenge to overcome.

The cold hard fact is nothing is always protected, 100%.  So the community works towards the best solution with the tools, knowledge, best practices and future trends to provide an acceptable level.

For the most part, the health Information Technology folks have a solid plan to work with and are collectivity comparing notes and working towards a common goal – which is a good thing.  Below are some key information about reaching there goals through the eight principles.

Nationwide Privacy and Security Framework for Electronic Exchange: Key Meaningful Use 2011 Objective Recommendation

On December 15, 2008, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published its 11 page report: Nationwide Privacy and Security Framework for Electronic Exchange of Individually Identifiable Health Information. This report states: “[a] key factor to achieving a high-level of trust among individuals, health care providers, and other health care organizations participating in electronic health information exchange is the development of, and adherence to, a consistent and coordinated approach to privacy and security. Clear, understandable, uniform principles are a first step in developing a consistent and coordinated approach to privacy and security and a key component to building the trust required to realized the potential benefits of electronic health information exchange.” [p. 1]

With eight principles outlined the report, “[t]he goal of this effort is to establish a policy framework for electronic health information exchange that can help guide the Nation’s adoption of health information technologies and help improve the availability of health information and health care quality.

The eight principles are:

·   INDIVIDUAL ACCESS. Individuals should be provided with a simple and timely means to access and obtain their individually identifiable health information in a readable form and format. [p. 6]

• CORRECTION. Individuals should be provided with a timely means to dispute the accuracy or integrity of their individually identifiable health information, and to have erroneous information corrected or to have a dispute documented if their requests are denied. [p. 7]

• OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY. There should be openness and transparency about policies, procedures, and technologies that directly affect individuals and/or their individually identifiable health information. [p. 7]

• INDIVIDUAL CHOICE. Individuals should be provided a reasonable opportunity and capability to make informed decisions about the collection, use, and disclosure of their individually identifiable health information. [p. 8]

• COLLECTION, USE, AND DISCLOSURE LIMITATION. Individually identifiable health information should be collected, used, and/or disclosed only to the extent necessary to accomplish a specified purpose(s) and never to discriminate inappropriately. [p. 8]

• DATA QUALITY AND INTEGRITY. Persons and entities should take reasonable steps to ensure that individually identifiable health information is complete, accurate, and up-to-date to the extent necessary for the person’s or entity’s intended purposes and has not been altered or destroyed in an unauthorized manner. [p. 8]

• SAFEGUARDS. Individually identifiable health information should be protected with reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to ensure its confidentiality, integrity, and availability and to prevent unauthorized or inappropriate access, use, or disclosure. [p. 9]

• ACCOUNTABILITY. These principles should be implemented, and adherence assured, through appropriate monitoring and other means and methods should be in place to report and mitigate non-adherence and breaches. [p. 9]

HIPPA.COM Glossary [http://www.hippa.com/cgi-bin/viewglossary.cgi?ALETTER=A]

HIPAA Legislation [http://www.hippa.com/cgi-bin/viewlaw.cgi]

Information Week Healthcare articles on security and privacy

http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/security-privacy?subSection=Security+%26+Privacy