Search results

AlgoSec and Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Solution Brief Download PDF Schedule time with one of our experts Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Proper firewall configuration is essential for a secure network Explore how to overcome challenges and learn tips for effective firewall configuration What is Firewall Monitoring? Select a size Which network Can AlgoSec be used for continuous compliance monitoring? Yes, AlgoSec supports continuous compliance monitoring. As organizations adapt their security policies to meet emerging threats and address new vulnerabilities, they must constantly verify these changes against the compliance frameworks they subscribe to. AlgoSec can generate risk assessment reports and conduct internal audits on-demand, allowing compliance officers to monitor compliance performance in real-time. Security professionals can also use AlgoSec to preview and simulate proposed changes to the organization’s security policies. This gives compliance officers a valuable degree of lead-time before planned changes impact regulatory guidelines and allows for continuous real-time monitoring. What is firewall monitoring? The importance of firewall monitoring for modern network security Key features & capabilities of firewall monitoring tools and solutions What to look for in a firewall monitoring solution? 5 Common firewall monitor challenges FAQ How does AlgoSec help with firewall monitoring? Get the latest insights from the experts Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

AlgoSec - Case for Convergence Download PDF Schedule time with one of our experts Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

In this webinar, our experts show how application centric automation can help secure connectivity Webinars Secure Application Connectivity with Automation In this webinar, our experts show how application centric automation can help secure connectivity. How can a high degree of application connectivity be achieved when your data is widely distributed? Efficient cloud management helps simplify today’s complex network environment, allowing you to secure application connectivity anywhere. But it can be hard to achieve sufficient visibility when your data is dispersed across numerous public clouds, private clouds, and on-premises devices. Today it is easier than ever to speed up application delivery across a hybrid cloud environment while maintaining a high level of security. In this webinar, we’ll discuss: – The basics of managing multiple workloads in the cloud – How to create a successful enterprise-level security management program – The structure of effective hybrid cloud management March 22, 2022 Asher Benbenisty Director of product marketing Relevant resources Best Practices for Incorporating Security Automation into the DevOps Lifecycle Watch Video Avoiding the Security/Agility Tradeoff with Network Security Policy Automation Keep Reading Choose a better way to manage your network Choose a better way to manage your network Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Proactively manage vulnerabilities with application-centric strategies. Prioritize risks, enhance visibility, and secure your applications across complex environments. Application-centric vulnerability management ---- ------- Schedule a Demo Select a size ----- Get the latest insights from the experts Choose a better way to manage your network

Discover everything you need to know about Network Security Policy Management (NSPM) solutions, including their benefits, features, and how they streamline security operations. Everything you need to know about NSPM solutions | AlgoSec ---- ------- Schedule a Demo Select a size ----- Get the latest insights from the experts Choose a better way to manage your network

If you’ve had enough of manual policy changes but security concerns are holding you back from automating policy change management, this webinar is just for you Webinars The quick guide to change automation: Turning network security alerts into action You use multiple network security controls in your organization, but they just don’t talk to each other. And while you probably get alerts from SIEM solutions and vulnerability scanners, responding to them feels like a never-ending game of whack-a-mole. If you’ve had enough of manual policy changes but security concerns are holding you back from automating policy change management, this webinar is just for you. Learn how to transform your network security policies without replacing existing business processes -with enterprise-wide change automation. AlgoSec security expert Avivi Siman Tov will guide you how to: Increase agility, accelerate incident response, and reduce compliance violations and security misconfigurations. Automate security policy changes without breaking network connectivity. Analyze and recommend changes to your network security policies. Push network security policy changes with zero-touch automation to your multi-vendor security devices. Maximize ROI of your existing security controls by automatically analyzing, validating, and implementing network security policy changes. July 21, 2021 Avivi Siman Tov Director of Product Relevant resources FireFlow Demo Watch Video Network management & policy change automation Read an Ebook 6 best practices to stay secure in the hybrid cloud Read Document Choose a better way to manage your network Choose a better way to manage your network Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Learn about the essentials of enterprise cloud security, including its importance, challenges, functionality, solutions, and key pillars. What is cloud security pillars trends and strategies Select a size Which network Can AlgoSec be used for continuous compliance monitoring? Yes, AlgoSec supports continuous compliance monitoring. As organizations adapt their security policies to meet emerging threats and address new vulnerabilities, they must constantly verify these changes against the compliance frameworks they subscribe to. AlgoSec can generate risk assessment reports and conduct internal audits on-demand, allowing compliance officers to monitor compliance performance in real-time. Security professionals can also use AlgoSec to preview and simulate proposed changes to the organization’s security policies. This gives compliance officers a valuable degree of lead-time before planned changes impact regulatory guidelines and allows for continuous real-time monitoring. What is cloud security? Pillars, trends, and strategies Learn about the essentials of enterprise cloud security, including its importance, challenges, functionality, solutions, and key pillars. What is cloud security? Cloud security (or cloud-native security) encompasses the strategies, tools, processes, and teams that seek to fortify enterprise cloud environments. Cloud security strategies focus on securing cloud networks, infrastructure, systems, applications, and data from internal security risks, such as vulnerabilities and misconfigurations, as well as from external risks like cyberattacks. What are today’s top cloud security trends? Companies today are adopting cloud technologies at scale and with diverse deployment architectures. Some opt for public cloud services from vendors like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure, while others invest in a dedicated private cloud infrastructure. Some organizations procure services from a single vendor, whereas others integrate components in multi-cloud or hybrid cloud strategies. The cloud security market is forecast to reach nearly $63 billion by 2028. This reflects the current state of widespread cloud adoption, the proliferation of cloud computing services, and a constant influx of new cloud security trends. Why are cloud security strategies important? Cloud security is one of the most critical pillars of any modern enterprise. Here’s why top-notch cloud security strategies are a strategic imperative: Widespread cloud adoption: Cloud computing is no longer a wishlist item but a necessity. Gartner research forecasts that companies will collectively spend more than $1 trillion on cloud investments by 2027. Sophisticated cloud threat landscape: Mission-critical cloud networks and infrastructure are under relentless siege from adversaries. According to IBM’s latest report , data breaches are now costing companies a mean value of $4.4 million. Complex compliance requirements: Enterprises must ensure that their cloud environments adhere to standards like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS. Cloud security and compliance are inextricably linked, so reinforcing one will benefit the other. Data privacy expectations: Cloud networks and infrastructure port and store vast volumes of sensitive data, from customer information to business secrets. Keeping this data secure is essentia l to avoid legal, financial, and reputational headaches. Future-proofing IT environments: With a robust cloud security posture, organizations can dynamically scale their cloud networks and infrastructure based on strategic pivots, emerging needs, and cloud security trends. How does cloud-native security work? Cloud security involves multiple moving parts—from advanced tools and technical controls to organizational culture and security best practices. Achieving holistic cloud security mandates three crucial components: Continuously monitoring cloud networks and infrastructure to detect anomalies Proactively improving your cloud security posture by tightening access controls and remediating misconfigurations Establishing strategies for mitigation, e.g., incident response playbooks, to remediate threats How can companies ensure unified cloud security and untangle the complexities of securing complex cloud network architectures? Adopt cutting-edge cloud security solutions. First, let’s review an important aspect of using a third party in your cloud security endeavors. Understanding shared responsibility models Shared responsibility models are another intricacy of contemporary cloud security. Cloud provider security offerings aren’t typically all-encompassing. And the onus is on you to decode the shared responsibility model of your chosen cloud provider. In other words: What will they handle, and what will you be obliged to oversee? Also, don’t assume that two cloud providers have similar shared responsibility models. For instance, Google Cloud’s model is radically different from that of AWS, so make sure you go over the fine print for any provider carefully. Now, let’s turn back to what makes a cloud security solution cutting-edge. What is an ideal cloud-native security solution? A comprehensive cloud security suite should include the following tools and capabilities: Cloud security posture management (CSPM): Proactively optimize cloud security and compliance posture by remediating risks in order of criticality. Market snapshot: The CSPM industry has been growing at more than 15% since 2022. Cloud identity and entitlement management (CIEM): Support governance, security, and access controls across human and machine cloud identities; mitigate identity and access management (IAM) risks. Note: CIEM tools are basically the cloud variant of IAM solutions. Cloud workload protection platform (CWPP): Secure cloud workloads across multi-cloud and hybrid cloud setups; this is particularly useful across CI/CD pipelines and DevSecOps workflows due to workload emphasis. Security information and event management (SIEM): Gather, correlate, and cross-analyze data from the entire IT ecosystem—from cloud networks to on-premises hardware and internet-of-things (IoT) devices. Security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR): Integrate and coalesce previously disparate security tools, processes, and workflows to optimize threat detection and incident response capabilities. Data loss prevention (DLP): Detect instances of cloud data exfiltration, exposure, misuse, or compromise. Firewalls and intrusion detection systems (IDS): Monitor cloud network traffic and receive alerts for suspicious or anomalous traffic flows or behaviors. Network security policy management (NSPM): Automatically design, enforce, and maintain cloud network security and compliance policies. Micro-segmentation: Break down the cloud network into granular subsections, each with unique security policies, controls, and rule sets to prevent lateral movement and provide quick issue resolution. Note: Micro-segmentation lies at the heart of zero trust architecture. With the above features in mind, let’s move on to the security challenges they were built to battle. With the above features in mind, let’s move on to the security challenges they were built to battle. Cloud security challenges Cloud-native security is inherently complex, but the hurdles you face are compounded by myriad internal and external factors. Mapping complex architectures and attack surfaces Cloud environments are constantly shapeshifting and filled with dynamic, distributed, and ephemeral applications, data, and connectivity flows. Creating a topology of exploitable risks across this landscape is complicated. Mapping and visualizing cloud networks, particularly in labyrinthine hybrid architectures, is next to impossible without the right tools. Achieving robust governance Many companies find it challenging to effectively and holistically steward cloud applications, networks, data, and resources—especially in multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud setups. Navigating regulatory compliance Adding to the above hurdle, regulations can change—and new ones are popping up continuously. Busin esses have to keep up to avoid noncompliance penalties and legal entanglements. Uncovering shadow IT Cloud environments are perpetually in flux, which means certain resources can easily slip out of centralized management or view. Regaining control of these hidden, often risk-ridden resources is difficult. Remediating vulnerabilities and misconfigurations The volume of cloud vulnerabilities far exceeds most organizations’ resources. Companies must focus on prioritizing risks so that threats to mission-critical cloud resources are dealt with first. Battling evolving attack techniques Adversaries are employing sophisticated AI-driven tactics to design and scale their attacks. Against this backdrop of radical methods, many businesses are struggling to defend their cloud estates. Minimizing cloud costs Cloud security lapses can be pricey to resolve. If cloud security expenses get out of hand, this can undercut all of the cost benefits that cloud adoption promises. Balancing security and agility One of the cloud’s biggest selling points is its speed and dynamism. However, ineffective implementation of cloud security measures can potentially slow down operations and stall strategic and operational momentum. Having reviewed the critical hurdles to cloud security, what are the top strategies required to mitigate them and reinforce proper cloud security? The most critical cloud security pillars Cloud environments might be rife with risks, but a robust cloud security program that hinges on a powerful unified solution can help efficiently address those risks and maximize the cloud’s potential. Highlighted below are the key pillars of robust cloud security that the optimal solution will actively reinforce. Comprehensive visibility All the best cloud security strategies begin with full-stack visibility. This means end-to-end coverage and real-time insights across cloud networks, applications, data, policies, and connectivity flows. Data security In many ways, the answer to “what is cloud security” is simply “cloud-based data security.” Advanced controls and measures like encryption, anonymization, classification, and role-based access contro l (RBAC) all help safeguard sensitive data. Zero tr ust architecture (discussed below) is also ideal for robust data security. Robust identity and access management (IAM) Identity and access management (IAM) involves right-sizing entitlements and optimizing access controls across digital identities. With a top IAM tool, ideally integrated into a comprehensive cloud security platform, companies can fine-tune privileges across digital identities. This prevents unnecessary access to critical data and streamlines access to role-essential applications and assets. Policy and configuration management Well-oiled policy management is one of the strongest cloud security pillars. The cornerstone of optimized policy and configuration management is the ability to automate systems to design, manage, and monitor cloud policies and configurations. Automation also enables a tool to curb drift with minimal manual intervention and error. AI-driven automation and orchestration AI-driven automation is one of the most prevalent cloud security trends. This, coupled with orchestration, implements predefined and intricately choreographed security processes and workflows to detect and remediate threats with minimal human intervention. Zero trust architecture Zero trust architecture is a cornerstone of most cloud security strategies. Enterprises should adopt a network security approach based on the “never trust, always verify” philosophy, along with least privilege, just-in-time (JIT) access, micro-segmentation, and multi-factor authentication. Threat detection and response No matter how cloud security trends ebb and flow, businesses need to be prepared with a plan for threat detection and response. The primary goal here is real-time network and infrastructure threat monitoring. This should be supported by predefined and automated incident response protocols and playbooks to remediate cloud security events. DevSecOps DevSecOps is a framework where a security-centric component has been added to the DevOps meth odology. Since the cloud is used to expedite software pipelines, DevSecOps is crucial to ensure you don’t sacrifice security for speed. Supply chain risk management Mitigating third-party risks means complete visibility and proactive risk mitigation across third-party resources and dependencies. Within DevSecOps workflows, this includes vetting third-party code, components, and dependencies. Threat intelligence Threat intelligence should be a constant presence in your cloud-native security program. The key is to integrate tools like IAM and CSPM with internal and external threat data streams. The best way to maximize a unified cloud security platform is to integrate up-to-date threat data streams. The ripple effect of world-class threat intelligence is profound and will significantly transform your detection and response skills across cloud networks and infrastructure. AlgoSec: A cloud security powerhouse With a unified solution like AlgoSec, businesses can transform the cloud security conundrum into an opportunity to reinforce their cloud operations and drive value. AlgoSec focuses on the most crucial cloud security pillars: Full-stack visibility Automated policy management Comprehensive compliance controls App-centric model for application-heavy environments Crucially, AlgoSec unifies these non-negotiables into a single platform. From the AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise (ACE) platform to tools like AppViz , FireFlow , and Firewall Analyzer , AlgoSec is a cloud network fortress. Get a demo to see how AlgoSec can help you achieve optimal enterprise cloud security. Get the latest insights from the experts Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Cisco and AlgoSec Partner solution brief- Better together for risk management and audit Download PDF Schedule time with one of our experts Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Explore Algosec's customer success stories to see how organizations worldwide improve security, compliance, and efficiency with our solutions. SANOFI FINDS THE CURE FOR TIME-CONSUMING APPLICATION MIGRATION WITH ALGOSEC Organization Sanofi Industry Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Headquarters Paris, France Download case study Share Customer
success stories "Using AlgoSec during our data center migration allowed us to give technical project leaders access to all of the rules involved in the migration of their applications, which reduced the IT security team’s time on these projects by 80%. The application was very useful, simple to use and made everybody happy." AlgoSec Business Impact Simplify data center migration projects Reduce rule migration process time by 80% Streamline and improve firewall operations Background A multinational pharmaceutical company, Sanofi, has 112 industrial sites in 41 countries and operations in more than 100 countries. The company’s 110,000 employees are committed to protecting health, enhancing life, providing hope and responding to the potential healthcare needs of seven billion people around the world. Challenge The sensitive nature of Sanofi’s business and its wide ranging global operations require an extensive and well secured network, which currently has 120 firewalls all over the world. In the midst of a data center consolidation project, the company needed to understand how its security devices would be affected by application migrations. Sanofi was also eager to improve change management processes and gain key performance indicators (KPIs) for risk analysis.“Our main concern with the data center consolidation project was to enable various technical project leaders to see the different rules impacting the migration of their applications, and to avoid any outages. For that, we needed pre-migration and post-migration documentation on security,” says Bruno Roulleau, Network Security Architect at Sanofi. “We also needed metrics on the risk associated with different policies on the firewalls.” Solution When looking for a solution, Sanofi evaluated several vendors. “A key point for us was the ability to easily integrate the security devices in our current infrastructure, into the solution. We also wanted detailed reporting that would allow us to delegate policy management to project leaders,” Roulleau notes.Because Sanofi constantly upgrades its devices, its systems need to evolve and incorporate the new devices and rules seamlessly. “We chose the AlgoSec Security Management solution because its graphical interface is very user-friendly, it easily supports new devices and generates detailed reports and metrics on risks,” says Roulleau.Sanofi also appreciated AlgoSec’s flexibility. “AlgoSec is very open to developing new capabilities. We can ask to have some new features available by a certain date and they will deliver on time,” according to Roulleau. For a company with a complex network and rapidly evolving security needs, that responsiveness proved key to the decision to go with AlgoSec. Results Sanofi’s security team is now able to delegate responsibility for rule changes both during migration and on an ongoing basis. “Using AlgoSec during our data center migration allowed us to give technical project leaders access to all of the rules involved in the migration of their applications, which reduced the IT security team’s time on these projects by 80%. The application was very useful, simple to use and made everybody happy,” Roulleau says.Additionally, with AlgoSec’s reports Sanofi can now easily and clearly document the status of their firewalls as well as the impact of any changes on the network throughout the migration project. “We can now generate detailed reports in just three clicks!” Roulleau adds.Furthermore, AlgoSec’s optimization reports enabled Sanofi to clean up its security policies. Because they could clearly see all of the rules and their impact on network security, Roulleau’s team was able to safely eliminate unused and duplicate rules, which increased the efficiency of the firewalls. Those reports also provided insight into the risks associated with the current system and various changes being made. Schedule time with one of our experts

Understand HIPAA network compliance requirements. Learn how to safeguard patient data with robust network security measures and ensure compliance with HIPAA regulations. HIPAA network compliance & security requirements explained What are HIPAA network compliance requirements, rules, and violations? The advancement in data management technology has revolutionized how healthcare providers offer their services. Digital or electronic solutions are integrated into healthcare processes to improve productivity, enhance efficiency, and meet patients’ demands. Before digital transformation swept across the healthcare industry, healthcare providers at all levels relied upon manual methods and traditional data processing to carry out their day-to-day activities. Today, modern solutions, like computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and electronic health records (EHR), have replaced them, streamlining repetitive tasks, encouraging collaboration, and improving data sharing. Even though using computerized systems and other medical record management systems is very helpful, the security of confidential healthcare information has been a major challenge. To ensure that the privacy and security of patients’ information are maintained, the government created a law to enforce compliance (by organizations) with security best practices. This is where HIPAA comes in! Schedule a Demo What is HIPAA compliance? This refers to compliance with regulatory standards that outline what organizations that handle protected health information (PHI) must do to ensure the privacy and security of patients’ data. The U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires healthcare providers and their business associates to implement physical, network, and process security measures to ensure the security of PHI. HIPAA regulations set clear standards that health organizations must meet when managing patients’ sensitive data, like patient medical records, health insurance information, and other personally identifiable information. Schedule a Demo Who needs to be HIPAA-compliant? According to the HIPAA, the Privacy Rule covers: Health plans Health care clearinghouses Healthcare providers who execute certain financial and administrative transactions electronically. Schedule a Demo What are HIPAA compliance requirements? There are some measures organizations are required to implement to protect patients’ sensitive data. If your company is a “covered entity”, it is expected to meet the following compliance requirements: 1. Have a dedicated HIPAA privacy officer There is a need for a professional who understands HIPAA and how to comply with the regulations. The officer will guide your organization on the right path and implement necessary measures to avoid HIPAA violations. And when a data breach or violation happens, the officer should restore order following the provisions of the act. 2. Identify and classify sensitive data Does your organization manage data that is not subject to HIPAA regulations? If that is the case, identify and classify sensitive information that should be handled according to HIPAA requirements. This helps you to implement security measures with little or no ambiguity. 3. Staff training Malicious actors usually target employees of organizations they want to attack. To equip your staff with the ability to spot attacks from a distance, you need to institute staff training. Your employees need to learn how to implement physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to protect PHI. 4. Institute strict data management policies Getting your staff trained on HIPAA laws and regulations is not enough. They need good leadership to uphold data security standards. Establish data management policies to enforce best practices and regulate access privileges. 5. Equip your facilities with security solutions Access control is a significant part of HIPAA compliance. Ensure unauthorized users don’t have access to computers, documents, or sensitive parts of workstations. You can achieve this by implementing security measures that regulate access to data and notify you when someone trespasses. 6. Install encryption software where necessary Data encryption solutions make files inaccessible to cybercriminals. Cloud solutions and other digital methods of storing data have increased the surface area for attacks. Malicious cyber actors are relentlessly scouring the internet for security vulnerabilities. Safeguarding patients’ data with encryption software is the way to go. 7. Enforce common best practices Visiting a malware-compromised website or clicking an ‘infected’ link can make your organization prone to a security breach. Encourage safe browsing and adopt security solutions, like email security software and antivirus systems. 8. File disposal policy Don’t dispose of documents or storage devices without rendering them unreadable. The best way to dispose of documents and records is to destroy them – by shredding or burning them. 9. Establish procedures for handling data breaches The primary goal is to prevent a security breach. However, the undesirable happens, and you need to be ready for the worst-case scenario. Establish and maintain procedures for managing security challenges. Ensure you appoint well-trained security experts who can respond swiftly when a breach occurs. 10. Monitor & review your assets & procedures regularly Keep an eye on your data assets and management policies. This helps you to identify inefficiencies and adopt measures to plug loopholes. Regular review is necessary to ensure you are keeping up with best practices. Remove outdated solutions and procedures to stay a thousand steps ahead of criminals. 11. Implement a strict backup policy Implement a backup strategy that conforms with the dictates of HIPAA. That said, having a good backup policy helps you clean up a data breach quickly. The general backup best practice is to have three copies of data at three different premises – on-site, off-site, and cloud locations. 12. Establish and maintain a disaster recovery plan A disaster recovery plan outlines how your organization will restore operations and manage stakeholders after a security breach. It details how your security team will respond to emergencies or the aftermath of security problems. Remember, your disaster recovery system should comply with the provisions of HIPAA. Schedule a Demo What are the four main HIPAA rules? The major HIPAA rules are the Privacy Rule , Security Rule , Breach Notification Rule , and Omnibus Rule . Let’s take a look at each rule. The HIPAA privacy rule The HIPAA Privacy Rule is a regulatory framework that mandates covered entities and their business associates to uphold patients’ rights to data privacy. The privacy rule states what constitutes electronically protected health information, how it should be safeguarded, and the DOs and DON’Ts of PHI management. In a nutshell, this rule establishes how patients’ sensitive information should be protected, stored, used, shared, and disclosed. Any identifiable patient data is subject to the Privacy Rule. The PHI includes: Any past, present or future documentation on physical or mental conditions Healthcare records of the patient Records showing past, present, or future healthcare payment information According to the Privacy Rule , covered entities and their business associates are responsible for protecting PHI. There are cases where organizations can disclose private health information. But such scenarios are strictly defined by the rule and subject to legal interpretation. The HIPAA security rule While the Privacy Rule defines what privacy and ePHI (electronic PHI) are, the Security Rule is a framework that outlines the standards required to ensure the security of electronically protected health information. The security rule covers every aspect of your organization’s operations, from administration and physical processes to computers and technology equipment. The security rule has five sections: general rules, administrative safeguards, physical safeguards, technical safeguards, and organizational requirements. The General Rules The General rules mandate organizations to: Protect ePHI from reasonably anticipated threats or hazards Prevent any reasonably anticipated uses or disclosures of PHI that are not in line with the provisions of the Privacy Rule Enforce compliance with the security rule by the employees The Administrative Safeguards The Administrative Safeguards require the implementation of security policies and procedures. It dictates that the Security Officer should be responsible for conducting risk analyses, staff training, adopting risks and vulnerability management measures, and other administrative measures. The Physical Safeguards The physical safeguards outline how physical access to ePHI should be regulated. Whether the ePHI is stored in the cloud, in a remote data center, or on on-premise servers, there should be a strict policy that regulates access. This section of the security rule also states how access to workstations and devices should be safeguarded. The Technical Safeguards This part of the security rules focuses on ensuring that every person accessing ePHI is legitimate and does exactly what they are supposed to do. The technical safeguards help to ensure that security challenges are identified and rectified timely. The safeguards cover access controls, audit controls, integrity controls, transmission security, and any person or entity authentication. Organizational Requirements This section states the things business associate agreements must cover. Organizational Requirements stipulate that: Business associate agreements must provide that the business associates comply with the relevant parts of the security rule. Business associates must ensure compliance with subcontractors by entering into an Agreement with them. Business associates will report any security breach to the concerned covered entity. The HIPAA breach notification rule As much as organizations strive to comply with the requirements of HIPAA, security breaches still happen. It’s difficult, if not impossible, for covered entities and business associates to protect data with 100% effectiveness. Organizations must notify the public and the data subjects about a breach and disclose the steps they are taking to contain the problem. The Breach Notification Rule outlines what covered entities need to do when a breach occurs. Organizations are required to: Notify the people affected by the breach Inform the affected people within 60 days of the discovery of the security incident Provide a public notice if more than 500 individuals are impacted And more! The HIPAA omnibus rule According to the Omnibus Rule, organizations outside of covered entities (business associates and contractors) must meet compliance obligations. This rule states that covered entities are responsible for ensuring that business associates and contractors are compliant. Consequently, covered entities have to implement compliance measures to avoid any violations. Schedule a Demo What are HIPAA violations and how to avoid them? Violation is said to have occurred when an organization fails to comply with or meet the requirements of HIPAA. There are two major categories of violations: civil and criminal violations. Civil violations are committed accidentally or without malicious intent. On the other hand, criminal violations are done with malicious intent. As expected, penalties for civil violations are less than that for criminal violations. Here are some examples of violations and tips on how to avoid them: Illegal exposure of patients’ data Disclosing patients’ data to unauthorized parties accidentally or on purpose violates HIPAA provisions. There is a guideline for disclosing sensitive healthcare information. When due process is not followed, a violation occurs. And the penalty for unlawful disclosure of medical records depends on a range of factors, including whether it’s a civil or criminal violation. To avoid this type of violation, implement strict administrative policies. Allow only a few well-trained administrators to have the privilege to access or disclose data. When data access is strictly regulated, you can easily prevent unauthorized access and keep tabs on data management. Failure to implement proper security best practices The HIPAA security rule outlines the security protocols covered entities are required to implement. Given the complexity of data protection today, it’s easy to leave important things undone. You can avoid this by appointing an experienced security officer. You should also set up a committee of security professionals responsible for ensuring the proper implementation of security protocols. Lack of a consistent training policy It takes consistent staff training to meet the requirements of HIPAA. Both old and new employees need to be trained from time to time on how to protect healthcare data. Make training an integral part of your administrative policy. Non-compliance to security regulations is mainly caused by people. No matter the type of access management or security risk mitigation software you implement, you need an informed workforce to ensure compliance. Lack of proper notification after a security breach The HIPAA breach notification rule states how healthcare service providers should notify affected data subjects and public officials after a security incident. Failure to do so accordingly results in HIPAA violation. To avoid this, appoint a HIPAA compliance officer to monitor compliance gaps and ensure that requirements are met at every point in time. In addition, your contingency plan or disaster recovery system should contain a guideline on how to notify impacted parties when things go wrong. Lack of measures to address existing compliance gaps Neglecting existing compliance gaps or not doing the needful to avoid potential security problems violates HIPAA. Healthcare organizations are expected to act proactively, leveraging risk assessment and risk management policy to protect PHI. To close compliance gaps, do the following: Establish a HIPAA compliance enforcement team and a compliance officer Keep all software updated Conduct HIPAA audits regularly Work with a health information technology and security company that offers HIPAA compliance services. Schedule a Demo How can your network become HIPAA compliant with AlgoSec? HIPAA compliance requirements can be challenging to meet. The requirements are many, and you need teams of dedicated experts to interpret and design compliance strategies. Managing in-house teams of compliance experts is capital-intensive and time-consuming. Therefore outsourcing compliance duties to a technology and security vendor is the way to go. AlgoSec provides comprehensive network security solutions you need for your organization to become HIPAA compliant. AlgoSec automatically identifies compliance gaps and provides remediation guidance. It also allows you to easily generate daily audit and compliance reporting across your entire network – whether the data is in the on-premise data center, in the private cloud or in the public cloud. Best of all, AlgoSec generates pre-populated, audit-ready compliance reports that help reduce HIPAA audit preparation efforts and costs. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you comply with HIPAA provisions. Schedule a Demo Select a size What are HIPAA network compliance requirements, rules, and violations? What is HIPAA compliance? Who needs to be HIPAA-compliant? What are HIPAA compliance requirements? What are the four main HIPAA rules? What are HIPAA violations and how to avoid them? How can your network become HIPAA compliant with AlgoSec? Get the latest insights from the experts Use these six best practices to simplify compliance and risk mitigation with the AlgoSec platform White paper Learn how AlgoSec can help you pass PCI-DSS Audits and ensure continuous compliance Solution overview See how this customer improved compliance readiness and risk management with AlgoSec Case study Choose a better way to manage your network