For the past two years, some health research units have been heard saying that security breaches of electronically safeguarded health information is a disaster that is impacting the healthcare sector adversely and there are signs that the problem is going to develop to higher levels. To add on, some scientists have also indicated that in 2017 there was a slight fall in the number of health data breaches, but the harm that is caused by such acts are worse than what was experienced in the past years. The blame is being put on the insiders for the failure to abate the issue in the health facilities. Studies have shown that despite the fall in the number of data breaches the few that are being done in 2017 has far-reaching impacts ( Filkins, 2017) . This essays, with the information collected from individual experiences as well as dependable online resources, will offer insight on: the reasons why the medical care firms are high targeted, the reasons by the rise and occurrence of security breaches, the various causes of data security problems, as well as identifying the fresh concepts and strategies that firms can use in enhancing the security of their electronically protected health information.
The medical sector is turning out to be the primary target for security breaches because of the significance of the information it contains ( Angst, 2017) . Studies have shown that the cost of unlicensed markets for health records are higher than the overall number of credit card numbers. The main reason being that health records contain a lot of data that offers cyber bullies a lot of options comprising of tarnishing the good reputation of certain health firms, putting in place phishing attacks, utilizing the various insurance information, and stealing of identities of other people such as the doctors or certain patients admitted in the facility. All the above factors have the healthcare sector to be number one regarding breached records involving the health insurers, medical care providers, as well as business partners.
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There are a lot of ways healthcare information or data breaches are being done in the current decade. The breaching of information may take the form of spear phishing which causes an individual to click on a link that results in the download of malware which in turn ends up corrupting all the information that stored in the system ( Huang, 2014) . The downloaded malware increases inside the firm’s intranet that ends up into millions of logs into the database having very vital PHI and mines the data without anyone noticing it. This home is usually done via an external hacker that gains access to the firm’s networks and gets the information without any authorization from the firm.
The second way of data breaching involves the theft of electronic devices or media from the organization. It always takes the form of a health worker loses or has media or electronic devices such as personal computers having very sensitive PHI that in turn results in a data breach ( Angst, 2017) . Moreover, cybercrime hacking can occur through the use of insiders or workarounds who takes the lists. This form of data breach implies that a worker conducted an evil-minded action that results in another person gaining unauthorized access to very sensitive PHI causing a violation in the system. For instance, it can happen when a health worker sends unprotected patient information through emails which results in a hacker gaining access to the data, causing a breach in the end. Data breaches can occur through the business partners, especially the third parties who end up experiencing a violation comprising of unlicensed access to the PHI. When a firm employs a third party, the health client’s information is always shared amongst the firms as a way of fulfilling contractual terms and obligations ( Huang, 2014) . Nevertheless, it must be noted that this sharing of the information may result in a data breach.
Recent studies have shown that the most common type of cybercrimes originates from the insiders ( Filkins, 2017) . This always involves the errors that are done by the employees resulting in a hacker gaining access to critical information. In some incidences, the worker's can be disgruntled, or it can be done as a way of committing fraud. The employee may file very unethical claims just to gain a profit in the end, or it may involve the worker selling the organizations sensitive PHI on the black market. The worker may also commit a data breach by gaining access to the data for a client that is not under the care of that employee.
The best way to deal with the issue of security information breaches is to get a better understanding of all the types of types of data breaches and assess if the firm is at risk of getting an incidence of a data breach ( Huang, 2014) . The firm must put in place measures that will help them in finding out the way to attain security so that they can adequately deal with the problem of security breaches. The rise in the issue of security breaches has been linked to the case where the almost fifty percent of the health institution failing to be concerned about cybercrime attacks, which implies that most of them are not prepared to handle the problem. This explains why there is a rise in the problem despite efforts being done by some firms to curb the issue entirely. Therefore, medical organizations have to be made aware for the need for cybersecurity and know that thetheir speed, amount, as well as sensitivity of the information going through their system makes it a big target by data breaches ( Koczkodaj, 2018) . The cyberbullies can cause so much harm the firm physically and economically which shows the need for dealing and investing a lot of resources in the issue. The elimination of the problem entirely involves the firms getting to
know the real causes of the problem, which will help in the identification of the best way to deal with the problem.
The number of professional information technology security personnel is low, which poses a problem to the health organization. This is evident in the large numbers of job position as IT analysts post in different media. In the healthcare sector, some few complicating issues are causing the security breaches. They include high competition, budget problems, and the use of outdated technological systems in securing of the health information. The purpose of electronic medical records is highly used in the clinics, firms, as well as healthcare systems. There is high competition for experienced IT security analyst because of the increase in the number of EMRs ( Angst, 2017) . This implies that the expenses on the analyst are high which makes some of the firms to opt for other cheaper options because they cannot afford it. In dealing with the issue, the facility also uses recent and sophisticated technology which minimizes the chances of their data being accessed without any consent from the firm. The truth is that most of the firm is still using outdated technological systems in securing their information which makes it easy for the cyber hackers to quickly gain access to the system and cause the malice to the whole system.
The problem is a serious one as it has to be viewed through the lens of security and not just breach of information. Some of the most common ways of avoiding security breaches in the healthcare organizations comprises of regulating the access to information, limiting the access to the organizations network, employing the use of robust passwords, the firms also have to control the accessibility to the sensitive PHI, they must scheme for any uncertainties, secure the mobile electronic devices containing vital health information, uphold good computer habits, the health organization also has to use a firewall, and use updated antivirus software on their devices ( Koczkodaj, 2018) . It is worth noting that the only solution to the problem lies in the prevention of the issue rather than trying to cure it.
The loss of mobile devices, either intentionally or from theft, is turning out to be the central reason for the endangering of EHRs. A determined individual might get access to the device regardless of the level at which the data is secured on the lost electronic equipment. This is the central reason to minimize the chances of a device getting lost, mishandled, or stolen from the firm ( Koczkodaj, 2018) . In an attempt to put to an end to theft in the healthcare as a way of lowering the chances of security breaches happening, there should be strategies put in place for data as well as physically securing the devices. The firm may put laws barring the removal of personal accessories from their designated area. They can also do this through proper management of the keys in the organization as well as securing the tools in the locked chambers. The firm also needs to take care of the physical and environmental protection while trying to find the best place to locate a server in the organization.
The wireless routers being used in the organization have to be protected as the signal can be received from a distance by other departments, homes, and the parking lot. In stopping the breach in security, the firm must secure all its wireless networks so that it is only those people who are allowed to access it that are permitted to use it ( Angst, 2017) . They also have to be put in the encrypted mode such that for one to obtain it, he or she will need to have a password. This technique will help in regulating the access to information in the firm.
The use of passwords has been found to be an excellent way of restricting undesirable access to information in the organization. In the medical organization, passwords have to be used for all the operating systems. Strong passwords have to be used as they may slow down the pace at which the hacker gains access to the system which will raise the chances of him or her getting caught ( Koczkodaj, 2018) . Stronger passwords as well authentication leads to better security that ultimately lowers or stops the cases of security breaches. In the healthcare system, the following authentication techniques are being used; they comprise of an iris scan, key fob, as well as the use of smart cards. Moreover, the firm oughts to regulate the access by creating an access regulation mechanism, which primarily gives access the by the worker's identity details such as usernames and passwords. Some systems are set to only permit access basing on the role that the employee holds in the firm ( Angst, 2017) . Thus, they tend to give access to those individuals who require knowing a section of the data within the system or filing, which lowers the chances of being exposed to a breach in security. Regulating access also implies retrieving the access information from workers who leave or get dismissed from the firm. The trick in restricting access lies in the constant updating of the system because the firm’s and workers are dynamic.
There is a need for the health institution to put in place plans as well as regular backups. This may entail the firm having to keep a hard copy of the data, which serves as a backup in case a breach of their health information is done. It must be noted that to better the reserves the firm has to use antivirus software that continually updates its protection as failure to have it the hacker will have an easy time taking control of the system and blocking other users from access the system. For instance, it has been found out that only 18% of health organization utilize both the hardware as well as software firewall implying that a significant fraction of their networks is inadequately protected ( Huang, 2014) . The use of a firewall is of great importance as it assists in protecting the institution against dangers or intrusion from outside sources. The antivirus easily detects and kill any dangerous software that has already been installed on the device while the firewall bars the access to the system.
It has to be noted that the use of both an updated antivirus software as well as firewalls may not sufficiently guard the firm against breaches in their security until a moment where their workers adopt good computer habits. Therefore, a security culture has to be taken in the organization to help deal with the problem entirely. The security culture will help the workers understand the need to have in place security legislation, enforce them, as well as adequately to train all the users so that they know the importance of safeguarding the health information ( Huang, 2014) . The firms also must use a secure cloud network as it allows them to elongate or destroy the apps that are not needed anymore, and even in combining different premises in the firm into one cloud base solution. The health system also needs to be automized as it makes sure that the security strategies are not just put in place but at the same time maintained through a series of the infrastructural life cycle.
In the past years, almost half of the firms in the United States have faced a lot of cyber-crimes. This is the main reason for the need to deal with the problem in the medical care workplace. The average cost of dealing with security and data breaches has grown to about 8 million dollars. This implies that most of the firm are forced into spending the considerable sum of the money in controlling the problem, which they could have used in improving other sectors of the healthcare department ( Angst, 2017) . The health organization has to make sure that they have an excellent security culture in place to better their chances of securing they're the health information. The health institutions have must boost their data security by following some cautionary step such as: employing the use of access regulation, use of stronger passwords, apply the use of firewalls to prevent any unauthorized access into the system, as well as the use of anti-virus software as well as hardware, and avoiding the loss of electronic devices from the health institution. The organization has to make sure that it trains its employees on the importance of dealing with security breaches in the organization. For the firm and its stakeholders to benefit, the business should do all it can to protect the confidentiality, access to its health data, as well as integrity.
References
Angst, C. M., Block, E. S., D'arcy, J., & Kelley, K. (2017). When do IT security investments matter? Accounting for the influence of institutional factors in the context of healthcare data breaches. MIS Quarterly , 41 (3), 893-916.
Huang, C. D., Behara, R. S., & Goo, J. (2014). Optimal information security investment in a Healthcare Information Exchange: An economic analysis. Decision Support Systems , 61 , 1-11.
Filkins, B. L., Kim, J. Y., Roberts, B., Armstrong, W., Miller, M. A., Hultner, M. L., ... & Steinhubl, S. R. (2017). Privacy and security in the era of digital health: what should translational researchers know and do about it?. American journal of translational research , 8 (3), 1560.
Koczkodaj, W. W., Mazurek, M., Strzałka, D., Wolny-Dominiak, A., & Woodbury-Smith, M. (2018). Electronic Health Record Breaches as Social Indicators. Social Indicators Research , 1-11.
