As we welcome the New Year, Practicefirst reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding our clients. Here is a checklist of 5 best practices for cybersecurity compliance in 2024:
✅ Access Controls
- Implement role-based access controls to ensure your employees have the minimum necessary access required for their roles. This limits the amount of information that could be compromised in the event of a breach.
- Regularly review and update user permissions based on job responsibilities, especially as employees are onboarded or terminated.
- Learn more about the Minimum Use Requirement.
✅ Data Encryption & Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- Encrypt sensitive data both in transit and at rest to protect it from unauthorized access.
- Require the use of MFA on all devices with the potential ability to access PHI or PII.
✅ Regular Audits and Monitoring
- Conduct regular security audits to identify vulnerabilities and potential threats in your information systems.
- Implement continuous monitoring tools to detect and respond to suspicious activities promptly. These systems identify patterns and notify you when something appears out of the ordinary.
✅ Employee Training
- Provide comprehensive, ongoing training on best practices for all employees on data security and privacy.
- Foster a culture of security awareness to prevent accidental security breaches.
- Explore phishing training for heightened awareness of common scams.
✅ Incident Response Plan (IRP)
- Develop and regularly update an incident response plan outlining steps to be taken in the event of a security incident.
- Conduct regular drills to ensure all team members are familiar with the response procedures.
- Access guidance on developing an Incident Response Plan that fits your practice.