A third of healthcare professionals
39
leave data security to chance
P
ERSP
Survey shows Patient Information could be left to haemorrhage from ECTIVES SECURIT
mobile devices. By Credant Technologies.
A transatlantic survey of more problems for IT departments - whatsoever. However, this was
than a thousand healthcare especially when a fifth of the even worse in the US, with a
professionals has shown that staff surveyed said they shocking 18% having this
over a third are unwittingly brought their own devices cavalier attitude to the
putting personal information into work. Many of these information they are storing
Y
at risk by storing patient could fall beneath the IT on their devices.
records, medical images, security radar! In the US, a
contact details, corporate third of healthcare UK better at security
data and other sensitive professionals surveyed were than the US – but still
information on mobile devices downloading sensitive details pretty slack!
such as laptops, BlackBerrys onto their own personal Although healthcare in the US
and USB sticks - and not devices – a basic breach of is highly regulated to protect
adequately securing them. security practice if they were patient data with laws such as
not complying with the HIPAA, security practices in
The “mobile device usage in security policy set up by their the US are still way below the
the healthcare sector” survey employer. standards upheld in the UK.
released today was carried
out amongst senior clinicians, 35% of healthcare In the UK, 56% of healthcare
GPs, policy makers, IT practitioners rely on just professionals are using strong
directors, IT and general passwords to secure their security to protect their
managers by mobile security work laptops and other devices with 35% using
experts Credant Technologies, mobile devices When asked encryption, 17% two factor
together with E-Health Insider how these health practitioners authentication, 3%
in the UK and Outpatient are securing their data, many biometrics, 1% smart cards,
Surgery Magazine’s are relying on very basic which makes data difficult to
subscribers in the US. A fifth security. 35% of those in the access if you are a cracker.
of healthcare practitioners use UK said they were using just a But in the US, just 23% were
their own devices for work – password. using strong security to
creating a security nightmare protect their mobile devices.
for the NHS if not managed Using basic hacker software
and secured properly! downloaded from the The ease with which data can
Internet, it would take 5 now be downloaded
The use of portable devices in minutes to bypass basic conveniently and quickly onto
the healthcare sector has passwords made up of a these portable, high capacity
escalated due to their ease of name, dictionary word or storage devices makes them
use, speed, increased memory easily remembered number. easy pickings for organised
capacity and affordability. criminals or unscrupulous
Alongside the great benefits In the UK, 6% admitted to opportunists, who could
that these devices bring come storing sensitive patient target healthcare practitioners
huge security and managerial details with no security in or outside their workplace.
WWW.SNS-UK.CO.UK MAR/APR 09
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