| The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act | | | | 2. Store all data, this includes backups and easy |
| allows for the continuing health insurance coverage for | | | | recovery. |
| people even as they become unemployed or when | | | | 3. Restrict access to relevant data only to authorized |
| they change jobs. The act also provides for the | | | | personnel. |
| standards that would help ensure the privacy of an | | | | 4. Protect all data from being altered or tampered. |
| insured's information when it comes to electronic | | | | 5. Destroy all data when they are not going to be used |
| transactions with regards to health care. | | | | anymore. |
| Starting in April 2003, the Act has safeguarded the | | | | How a Web Application Firewall Can Help |
| use and divulging of what is called "Protected Health | | | | A Web application firewall can examine all packets of |
| Information" or those that is related to an individual's | | | | data that is transmitted from or to an application; |
| health status, health care provision or they payment | | | | thereby letting you screen and block specified content. |
| for such that may be traced back to an individual. | | | | Web application firewalls can help prevent hacking |
| The HIPAA is an ever growing concern now as | | | | attacks that uses the holes in your Web applications |
| hospitals, health care insurers and even doctors and | | | | itself. This helps you to protect the data you have on |
| other health professionals extend their businesses | | | | your systems from falling into unauthorized hands. With |
| online. Right now, it is possible to get your medical tests | | | | a hacking attack, the hacker can retrieve the |
| results online, or perhaps get a prescription via e-mail | | | | information you have stored, and can get copies of all |
| or online. With the advent of Health 2.0, a lot more | | | | incoming data after putting malware on your system |
| processes are now possible online where it used to | | | | that allows him or her to record the activities on your |
| require a visit to the doctors' office. | | | | system or Web site. |
| Web Application Security and the HIPAA | | | | Aside from this, a Web application firewalls can also |
| If you run a health-related site that collects, stores, and | | | | help you keep out viruses and other malware that can |
| transmits patient data and information, it is best to | | | | destroy data you want to keep, or alter these data |
| make sure that your Web application security is up to | | | | according to the way it is programmed. |
| HIPAA standards. The HIPAA requires that Web sites | | | | The sad thing is that, most Web hosts can easily offer |
| should be able to: | | | | a Web application firewall, but opts not to. If you have |
| 1. Encrypt all data that is to be transmitted, archived or | | | | a health related Web site, be sure to get a host that |
| stored. | | | | offers this kind of protection. |