October marks National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and like the new year, organizations usually try to re-center their operations and renew their security resolutions. Some take this opportunity to update employees on the current security climate.
Over the past decade, cloud computing has quickly become a necessary transition for healthcare providers. In this technological era, things have become fast paced and an on-premises healthcare system will undoubtedly cause the industry to lag behind. According to the 2016 HIMSS Analytics Cloud Survey, 84 percent of participating healthcare organizations utilize cloud computing in one way or another. Its uses range from data backups and recovery, business functions such as organizational finance and human resources. However, cloud computing is affected by some negative aspects that can cause serious damage if they obstruct a healthcare entity's systems. This is mainly because emergency situations do not withstand additional pressure. Healthcare providers still have some reservations about the following:
Cybersecurity is a growing concern for the healthcare industry. As more personal data and sensitive information goes online, cyber criminals are growing smarter. Healthcare security conferences and summits bring experts together to discuss, innovate, and brainstorm together how to combat security threats and better protect themselves against breaches. Giva has listed below a few upcoming events through the remainder of 2018:
Innovation is the cornerstone of successful businesses and keeping up with technological advances is more important than ever before. A skilled CIO should be a facilitator of innovation and must assist the company in moving forward. Below is a list of ways that can aid CIOs in enhancing their organizations through innovation:
In the health sector, priority is always given to saving lives while the security of personal health records (PHR) is often overlooked. This is because in comparison to emergency situations, the storage of information seems very insignificant. As a result, an increasing number of healthcare providers are facing the consequences. From January through May of 2018, in the United States there were 147 security breaches reported, representing 2,807,227 health records exposed via various cyber attack methods. These methods include email hacks, ransomware incidents and malware infections, among others. Cyber-crime is stronger than it has ever been and there are no signs of its decline. Therefore, healthcare providers should counteract this by rising up to the occasion and replacing outdated security tools with updated technologies and strategies.
The roles of the CIO and the HR department are complementary and play a crucial part in any business. However, the silo mentality that exists in many companies stands in the way of both departments cooperating with each other to produce great results. Most organizations have not yet realized the benefits they can reap from interdepartmental cooperation such as that of IT and HR. Both departments are heavily dependent on each other, and companies that have discovered this have taken the necessary measures to do so.
The IT department of a company plays a vital role in the success of projects and initiatives. Consequently, the approach team managers and HR departments take during the hiring process is critical and can affect the end result. Below is a list of tips and tricks on how to hire the best talent for the job and build a productive IT team:
July 24, 2018 Silicon Valley, Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel - Palo Alto
Calling all CIOs; the upcoming Silicon Valley CIO Perspectives Forum is one of a series of events spanning across a number of cities in the United States, including Chicago, LA and Houston. They consist of a collection of forums and presentations made for and by CIOs as well as other leading experts in the IT world. Discussions will focus on influential topics such as ground-breaking innovation, organization transformation, cloud risk management, data as a route to consumer engagement, AI's effect on business communication, operational efficiency and excellence.
The evolution of ransomware, dating back as far as 1989, has snowballed along with the development of technology to become a very profitable business for hackers. It is easier than traditional hacking, more efficient and allows them to cash in quickly and with minimal complications. Attackers can breach a vulnerable system through a back door and encrypt its data, which effectively shuts out users and prevents them from accessing any records or documents. A message demanding money then appears on the screen, a time limit is set and a countdown begins. The element of time implants a sense of urgency in the victim, compelling him/her to pay the ransom as quickly as possible. All this can be done from the comfort of a hacker's lair far away and almost impossible to track.
The reason why attackers are so successful in breaching electronic devices is because of the perceived distance people put between themselves and the possibility of such a breach ever happening to them. The belief that a ransomware attack is far-fetched is the very reason why ransomware is so lucrative. Putting your guard down is the vulnerability that hackers are waiting for. Below is a list of best practices that can help you protect and secure yourself effectively:
Human error is inevitable, and that is exactly what hackers count on. One slip-up can result in the loss of large amounts of data and cause a company to lose its credibility in the eyes of its customers. Overspending on high tech systems while neglecting employee training in cyber security is a poor strategy that will prove ineffective. It is also the main reason why human error is a leading cause of cyber attacks. Although it is not possible to completely eliminate human error, seeking ways to minimize it as much as possible will help reduce the occurrences of security breaches. In order to be able to do that, it is important to know the main sources of human error and how to avoid them.
