As companies face increasing pressure to keep data safe, encryption protocols like Open PGP provide an increased level of security to do so. An open-source version of PGP (Pretty Good Protection), Open PGP delivers the same level of protection in a publicly available format. Because of its high availability, it enjoys widespread use. However, an encryption solution doesn’t stand alone: It needs to...

Educational institutions, from preschools to university systems, face increasing pressure on budgets as well as personnel lately. When every minute and every dollar counts, bolstering existing resources where possible can offer a bit of relief. One way to stretch those human resources is by automating some of the tasks that are repetitive, mundane, and can be done more efficiently and error-free...

Complying with stringent HIPAA requirements requires strong encryption protocols. GoAnywhere MFT utilizes FTPS, the more commonly used SFTP, and other protocols for secure file sharing.

What is Data Privacy? One can think of data privacy as all the processes involved in how confidential or personal information or data is collected, used, and shared or governed. No singular policy governs data privacy, with requirements and penalties varying across states and countries. Data privacy laws are legal constructs that set clear lines around which data is considered sensitive, what...

What is HIPAA? HIPPA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is a federal law that addresses regulatory compliance for healthcare organizations. HIPAA sets the standard for protecting sensitive patient data and applies to any company that deals with protected health information (PHI). HIPAA requires healthcare organizations and their business associates to implement...

HITRUST Compliance Helps to Manage Risk The secure storage and transfer of sensitive data is of the utmost importance to the healthcare industry. Data security and complying with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is paramount, yet doing so can often be complex and difficult to maintain. This is where HITRUST comes in as a certifiable and recommended framework trusted...

Every year the healthcare industry is greeted with headlines stating that ‘last year was the most-breached ever .’ And that trend is unlikely to stop in 2022. The healthcare industry has historically been one of the most-targeted by hackers, and one of the most breached by internal actors. Key reasons why include vast amounts of extra sensitive patient data, higher-than-average payouts, and a slow...

Encryption is key to securing organizational data in the short term and long. However, there are a few different types of encryption that organizations can use to achieve the optimal level of security. GnuPG is one of the most notable. However, today we’ll break down how PGP encryption works and how to use it to maintain the safety of your files . The Pros and Cons of PGP Encryption PGP, otherwise...

What is GDPR? The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) establishes protections for the privacy and security of sensitive data for individuals in the European Union (EU). The data protection regulation was designed to harmonize data privacy laws throughout the EU and replaced the long-standing Data Protection Directive. GDPR regulations apply to organizations located within the EU, as well as...

When someone in your organization wants to transfer a file – internally or outside of the organization – a few concerns may come up: Is the file complete? Is it being sent to the right place? Will it arrive intact? Is sensitive data protected and encrypted from unauthorized recipients? All are valid concerns, and each can be addressed with the help of encryption. By scrambling the data using one...

Patient Privacy is in Jeopardy: Data Breaches, High Payouts, and PHI How important is a patient's privacy? If your organization is a healthcare facility, the instinctive answer that comes to mind is "Very important!" After all, a patient's privacy is the basis upon which a doctor/patient relationship is based. Right? When it comes to patient data, the real answer may surprise you. While, of course...

2020 Was the Worst – in Healthcare Data Breaches Data breaches can have catastrophic consequences on those who are unfortunate enough to suffer from one. From steep costs and/or fines (in the millions) to a ruined reputation, data breaches are not to be taken lightly. This is especially true for the healthcare industry, where sensitive patient data, or Protected Health Information (PHI), is the...

Encryption standards become more and more important every day. With the rise of data breaches , it’s critical now more than ever for organizations to raise the level at which they protect their information. Partly, educating employees has presented itself as an easy way to make data safer. However, taking the time to choose the right method of encryption is the most effective way to make your data...

When it comes to managed file transfer (MFT) solutions , organizations across industries find them valuable for policy enforcement, user access control and authorization, risk reduction, and more. And when it comes to HIPAA and HITECH requirements, MFT shines as a secure workflow automation tool. MFT as a B2B Enabler What makes MFT a perfect compliant file transfer tool for HIPAA? Besides security...

When you think of files in healthcare, you may think of illegible doctor notes, clipboards with unpronounceable drugs, or a hastily printed summary of your visit. The healthcare industry generates a lot of paperwork that makes its way into many hands, so how can healthcare organizations keep it flowing to the right places – and do so securely? Many healthcare organizations are still relying on...

Not every piece of information is meant for every pair of eyes. That’s why organizations count on encryption technology – to lock down their sensitive data from malicious acquisition or even human error. And, when it comes to those encryption protocols, you’ve got options. One choice you or your IT team might need to make is whether to use PGP or GPG for your encryption standard. What is PGP...

What is HL7? HL7, short for Health Level Seven, is a set of international Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) standards used to provide guidance with the transfer and sharing of clinical and administrative data between software applications used by various healthcare providers. These standards focus on the Application Layer, or “layer 7” in the Open Systems Interconnection model (OSI model). The HL7...

When searching for a new software solution to meet your organization’s needs, it’s easy to see the labels “HIPAA-Certified” or “HIPAA Compliant” and believe your bases are covered. After all, “HIPAA-Certified” means the product or application follows HIPAA’s privacy rules and has everything in place to protect your health and patient information, right? Unfortunately, no. While such a badge or...

What is GPG? GPG, also known as GNU Privacy Guard ( GnuPG ), is a different adaption, but popular implementation of the Open PGP standard as defined by RFC 4880 . GPG in Depth GPG is an open-source standard and strong alternative to the official PGP software owned by Symantec. It was developed by Werner Koch and released in 1999 as an alternative to Symantec’s software suite of encryption tools...

Complying with your doctor’s recommendations is the primary key to feeling good and staying healthy. Complying with the healthcare industry’s security standards and personal data protection requirements holds the key to avoiding an audit failure, paying steep fines, or trying to heal from the impact of a data breach. Sure, you can meet stringent compliance requirements through legacy or manual...