Discussion: Pennsylvania State Information

Discussion: Pennsylvania State Information

NOW FOR AN ORIGINAL PAPER ASSIGNMENT:Discussion: Pennsylvania State Information

Do NOT:

· Share your password with anyone.

· Post your passwords in plain sight.

· Use dictionary words or any personal characteristics (your name, phone number, or birthday).

· Use a string of numbers.

· Use the same password for multiple sites.

Data from Pennsylvania State Information Technology Services. ( 2015 ). Password best practices. Retrieved from http://its.psu.edu/legacy/be-safe/password-best-practices.html

The second area of authentication is something the user has, such as an identification (ID) card. ID cards can be magnetic, similar to a credit card, or have a  radio frequency identification (RFID)  chip embedded into the card.

The last area of authentication is  biometrics . Devices that recognize thumb prints, retina patterns, or facial patterns are available. Depending on the level of security needed, organizations commonly use a combination of these types of authentication.

Threats to Security

The largest benefit of a computer network is the ability to share information. However, organizations need to protect that information and ensure that only authorized individuals have access to the network and the data appropriate to their role. Threats to data security in healthcare organizations are becoming increasingly prevalent. A nationwide survey by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) found that human error was responsible for more than half of  security breaches . Human error was categorized as failure to follow policies and procedures, general carelessness, lack of experience with websites and applications, and being unaware of new threats ( Greenberg, 2015 ). According to Degaspari ( 2010 ), “Given the volume of electronic patient data involved, it’s perhaps not surprising that breaches are occurring. According to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil Rights (OCR), 146 data breaches affecting 500 or more individuals occurred between December 22, 2009, and July 28, 2010. The types of breaches encompass theft, loss, hacking, and improper disposal; and include both electronic data and paper records” (para. 4). The Fifth Annual Benchmark Study on Privacy & Security of Healthcare Data ( Ponemon Institute, 2015 ) reported that “[m]ore than 90 percent of healthcare organizations represented in this study had a data breach, and 40 percent had more than five data breaches over the past two years” (para. 3). Interestingly, the most common type of data breach was related to a criminal attack on the healthcare organization (up 125% in the last 5 years).