Look for Hackers to Target Healthcare in 2015

Now more than ever, businesses need to be diligent about securing customer information. According to a recent news article, 2015 could be the "Year of the Healthcare Hack." Hackers could target both healthcare and insurance companies in order to secure customers personal information. The No. 2 U.S. health insurer, Anthem Inc., disclosed a breach of its database that has affected nearly 80 million records leading to investigations by state and local authorities. While in the past, cybercriminals have focused on the financial and retail sector; the new target is less-secure medical data. That being the case, many businesses are starting to focus more on security. According to research analyst Stephanie Balaouras at Forrester, "If your company execs are smart, they will make protecting customers' data and preserving their privacy one of their top business and social responsibilities in 2015." (Forrester)

With all the benefits of Healthcare Information Technology, the obstacle of cyber attacks must be addressed as well. Many businesses have prospered because of HIT and will continue to do so in the future.  However, being proactive in addressing this security issue must be a priority for all businesses in 2015 in order to secure customer information. The Reuters article above mentions that "UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Aetna Inc. have been warning investors about the risks of cyber crime since 2011." Warning investors is important; preventing hackers from stealing customer information is paramount. In meeting the strict HIPAA compliance regulations for cyber security, Giva can be the answer to businesses concerned about this problem. For more information read 7 Key elements of Giva's HIPPA-Compliant Cloud Help Desk Software for Electronic Health & Medical Records.