(Consider how the autofill feature in email can easily send proprietary information to the wrong person.) When you share files you lose control of them the same way you do when you email them to someone. For example, if you use Dropbox to store important files on three different devices, then you have three times as many opportunities to lose one of those devices. In fact, lost or stolen devices account for more than 60 percent of HIPAA breaches. The problem with unencrypted file sharing is similar to unprotected emails - except your vulnerability is multiplied by the number of mobile devices that hold confidential information. If you make a change to a file on your laptop that change will show up later when you open the file on your desktop or mobile device, since all of the devices are synced to the same account. You can sync documents across a number of devices so you can always access the most updated versions of files, no matter where you are working. Web-based email services like Gmail and Hotmail store emails and attachments in the cloud, for example.įile-sharing services like Dropbox allow you to manage files in a more streamlined way in the cloud. What the Cloud Is and Isn’tĬloud computing allows data and applications to be stored externally - away from a user’s own physical hard drive or server - and then accessed on demand via the Internet. Therefore, encryption has become a de-facto standard for preventing HIPAA breaches. While HIPAA doesn’t specifically require encryption of files, if a file has been compromised - if a device containing electronic protected health information (ePHI) has been lost or stolen - the only way to avoid a HIPAA breach is to encrypt the files. Lawyers who are not compliant with these rules could expose themselves to liability. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires that health records be strictly safeguarded, with security measures put in place to store and transmit electronic medical information. He told me that lawyers regularly send him clients’ medical records, sometimes 100+ page documents at a time, without protecting the information and preventing it from falling into the wrong hands. Recently, I was chatting with a forensic psychiatrist who consults on criminal and civil cases. Cloud-based file-sharing services like Dropbox, Box and Google Drive may help streamline the way we store and share sensitive documents, but they require an additional layer of security to ensure that confidential files stay safe.

Sookasa decrypt