IDX Resources Feed

“Don’t Panic!”: Lessons to Be Learned from Ransomware

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 12:00:00 -0700

If you’ve ever watched a detective show, you know a murderer suspect must have a motive, a means, and an opportunity to commit the crime. If we think about ransomware—malware that holds computers or data hostage—every cyber criminal on the planet has all three. As we discussed in our first article in this series [link here], hackers can make millions of dollars off a single strain of ransomware, so the financial motive is strong.

CCPA Privacy Protection: Will the New California Privacy Law be a Catalyst for Federal Action?

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 06:00:00 -0700

The new California privacy law, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), is causing a great deal of angst within the privacy protection community and Silicon Valley alike. During the recent Privacy. Security. Risk. 2019 conference held in Las

GDPR Game Time: Social Media Platform Changes You Should Know About

Tue, 05 Jun 2018 06:00:00 -0700

Since news of the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica incident broke in March, there’s been what seems like a never-ending stream of revelations about what data these companies are collecting on us and how they’re using it. Learn more in our post. It

Another Episode of “Facebook and the FTC”

Thu, 26 Apr 2018 06:00:00 -0700

We have all seen Mark Zuckerberg’s picture in the news recently when as Facebook CEO he answered questions before multiple Congressional committees about consumer privacy. The March reports involving Cambridge Analytica have sparked renewed

Who is Tracking Your Mobile Phone?

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 06:00:00 -0700

We couldn’t do without our mobile phones. This tiny computer goes everywhere with us, as our alarm, GPS and camera. How else would we transfer money, log workouts, store plane tickets or dictate a reminder for later? While we enjoy these

Taxes and Social Security Numbers: How the Equifax Breach is Shaping Our Future

Mon, 19 Mar 2018 06:00:00 -0700

All across the country, many Americans have started to feel the effect of the new tax laws. But fewer have considered how another, equally major event that occurred last year could affect their taxes – namely, the Equifax breach. With nearly half

Three Reasons Why You Can’t Buy Much With Bitcoin - Yet

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 06:00:00 -0800

There are several key issues that stand in the way of broad-based consumer adoption of cyber currencies. Learn about these key issues in this post. “Do you own Bitcoin?” “Should I invest in Bitcoin?” “What makes Bitcoin different from Ethereum?”

Identity Theft and Taxes: What to Expect

Mon, 15 Jan 2018 06:00:00 -0800

Tax season can fill many of us with fears and anxieties. Thanks to large data breaches in 2017, individuals can now add a new worry to their tax process: hoping that someone hasn’t already filed on their behalf. Tax identity theft has become so

Identity After Equifax: Rethinking the SSN

Thu, 05 Oct 2017 00:00:00 -0700

The Equifax breach brings new urgency to the question of how we establish and protect our personal identities. By exposing the Social Security numbers (SSNs) of over 145 million Americans, the breach set millions up for what one expert called "a lifetime game of Whack-a-Mole," with identity theft cropping up over and over in unexpected places.

Equifax Data Breach Highlights Consumer Privacy Risks

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 06:00:00 -0700

The Equifax data breach has thrown a spotlight on the issue of data privacy, and things may never be the same. It’s not just the size of the breach. Although it exposed personal information on over half the U.S. adult population, the Equifax breach

HBO Cyber Attacked, Hacked, Thrashed and Tortured

Mon, 21 Aug 2017 00:00:00 -0700

A of couple weeks ago, HBO was hacked by an individual or group of hackers going by the moniker of “Mr. Smith”. Unfortunately for HBO, they seem to be going through a death by a thousand cuts. The hacker is slowly publicly posting pre-releases of upcoming TV episodes from “Ballers”, “Insecure” and “Room 104” according to an article by the Washington Post. The hacker is demanding a ransom to be paid in Bitcoin, in the amount of approximately $6 million.

Why Many Cyberattacks are Never Reported

Wed, 21 Jun 2017 08:16:00 -0700

Not all cyber compromises are reported, even in healthcare where there is a regulatory framework and public website for reporting in place by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR). So why is that the case? And why does it matter?

Help for the Vulnerable: Identity Protection Services that Count

Mon, 13 Feb 2017 08:00:00 -0800

Identity theft is a terrible crime. Criminals use victims’ most sensitive information to perpetrate all manner of fraud, risking their financial, reputational, and even physical health. “When a criminal organization steals a million records, that makes the news, but when they steal an individual’s identity, it becomes personal,” Arlette Hart, FBI’s chief information security officer, said. “It affects lives. People feel violated in a way that you would never expect.”

Privacy Is Taking Its Place in the C-Suite

Tue, 24 Jan 2017 11:08:00 -0800

Times are changing in the C-suite. Newer titles such as chief user experience officer and chief growth officer are rubbing shoulders with the “traditional” executives—CEO, COO, CFO, and CMO. In the privacy and security space, the most notable of these roles is the chief privacy officer (CPO).

Are Blockchains About to Transform Healthcare?

Tue, 03 Jan 2017 11:04:00 -0800

Imagine if all electronic medical records (EMRs) and other electronic health data in the U.S. could be shared—quickly and securely—to advance medical research and promote preventive medicine while drastically reducing payer and provider costs on data access and exchange.

Is It Time to Merge Privacy and Security Roles?

Thu, 15 Sep 2016 10:43:00 -0700

Nine years ago, SC Magazine posed an interesting question: How do you combine the traditional responsibilities of chief information security officers (CISOs) with additional data privacy responsibilities? In the years since, the answer has been simple: You don’t.

OCR Audits, Phase 2: What You Need to Know About the Breach Notification Rule

Mon, 22 Aug 2016 10:05:00 -0700

If you work in healthcare compliance, chances are good that the 2016 Phase 2 HIPAA Audit Program, conducted by the HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR), is a top priority.

It may also be an overwhelming priority, given the lengthy and extremely detailed audit protocol, which was updated to reflect the requirements of the HIPAA Omnibus Final Rule. Even though OCR’s director Jocelyn Samuels has said that the audit is not meant to be punitive, being selected is a big deal.

Amid the stress, it’s easy to forget that the audit program is about the basics—compliance with the HIPAA Security, Privacy, and Breach Notification Rules. A review of these basics will help you realize that you may be more in line with HIPAA requirements than you thought. On the other hand, a review may help identify some gaps in your compliance.

OCR Audits Phase 2 Is Here—Are You Ready?

Fri, 22 Jul 2016 09:47:00 -0700

The long-awaited second phase of the OCR Audits has finally arrived. After the dismal results of the phase 1 audits, healthcare organizations—both covered entities and business associates—have their work cut out for them.

Freedom of Information in an Era of Cyber-Threats: Your Right to Know vs. Your Safety

Mon, 23 May 2016 11:20:00 -0700

As citizens in a democracy, we value transparency in government. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) aims to do just that by giving citizens the right to access information from the federal government. And in theory, the FOIA is a good idea. In practice, the law, which was signed into law 50 years ago this summer, has had a controversial and tumultuous history.

Apple vs. FBI, Who’s Right?

Thu, 25 Feb 2016 08:42:00 -0800

The December 2015 terrorist attack in San Bernardino, Calif., left devastation and heartbreak behind. It also became the boxing ring for the ongoing debate between privacy and security. On February 16, a federal court ordered Apple to help the FBI unlock one of the attacker’s iPhone.