With the widespread application of digitization, SSL digital certificates have become an integral part of the network, and protecting sensitive data communications and user privacy is more important than ever. Especially in the medical field, we should adhere to the best security practices, abide by HIPAA regulations, and use HIPAA-compliant SSL digital certificates to protect the data security of medical patients during transmission and at rest. So, what is HIPAA?
1. What is HIPAA?
HIPAA originated in 1991, and its full name is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Domestic literature is generally directly referred to as the HIPAA Act. Because the medical field is especially vulnerable to security threats with devastating consequences. As a result, healthcare organizations must comply with numerous regulations, including the U.S. HIPAA Act. In 1996, the United States passed this bill to protect sensitive patient health data, including protected electronic health information (also known as PHI or epHI), to prevent disclosure of patient privacy without the patient’s consent or knowledge.
2. Penalties for HIPAA Violations
According to HIPAA, health care providers are responsible for protecting the security of patient data in transmission and information at rest. If the data is leaked, they will face fines of up to $50,000, with a maximum fine of $1.5 million per year. In 2019, PHI breaches affected more than 34 million Americans, 39% of which involved email. So, how can healthcare organizations protect patient confidential information most effectively and cost-effectively? Apply digital certificates to ensure information security and identity authentication.
3. Digital certificates that meet HIPAA compliance
Digital certificates (often referred to here as SSL/TLS certificates) are small digital files used to secure communications between two computer applications over a network. Regular SSL certificates encrypt sensitive data transmitted between the user’s browser and the web server. Email security certificates enable end-to-end encryption for all outgoing emails. Most importantly, they verify the sender’s identity and digitally sign Microsoft Office and OpenOffice business documents.
SSL certificates to secure patient data
HIPPA’s chapter on technical protection defines that when the patient’s health data is transmitted and stored on the network at rest, the patient’s PHI must be protected by the healthcare provider. SSL certificates can help healthcare organizations comply with these regulations and ensure that customers’ data is always safe, because data encryption, authenticity authentication, and the integrity of digital communications are key aspects of online security.
S/MIME email certificates to prevent email leaks
Additionally, email remains the most common form of written communication in most businesses. As such, it is also the most targeted market for cybercriminals. It is estimated that due to millions of email accounts being hacked every day, the loss of email breaches in 2021 alone is as high as $6 trillion. While the cost of an email compromise is astronomical, the price a business or organization pays to protect information is insignificant in comparison.
Two well-known certificate authorities, Sectigo and Digicert, provide state-of-the-art email security certificates (also known as S/MIME email certificates) that can digitally sign and encrypt emails to ensure that email communications will not be intercepted and decrypted by cyber attackers. In addition to email encryption, these digital signature certificates can digitally sign electronic documents and provide users with two-factor authentication as an additional layer of security.
Email certificates also verify the sender’s identity and bind it to a unique private key. This way, the recipient knows the true identity of the sender. Most importantly, S/MIME email certificates add an encrypted hash value (equivalent to a digital fingerprint) to the email. If any character in the email content is modified, the hash value cannot be successfully matched with the digital signature. The purpose of this function is to ensure the integrity of email information and prevent information from being tampered with.
In today’s ever-evolving Internet environment, full of security threats and breaches, there is a fine line between protecting and exposing your customers’ sensitive data. HIPAA regulations can be strict and fines can be severe, especially in the healthcare industry; however, now that healthcare organizations have easier access to advanced solutions, such as digital certificates, HIPAA compliance can be made a breeze.
