How to Protect Your Business From Costly DDoS Attacks

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Early in June 2022, Cloudflare detected and stopped the largest HTTPS DDoS attack on record. The attack was detected and mitigated at 26 million requests per second (rps) and has been given the name Mantis due to it originating from a small but mighty botnet. The attack used 5,067 IoT devices across 121 countries to send 26 million requests per second, a shockingly low number of devices to produce a high level of traffic.

Over the past year, Cloudflare has witnessed continuous record-breaking DDoS attacks on business networks and servers worldwide. Many businesses are reevaluating their network security to help prevent such attacks from threatening their operations. What is an HTTPS DDoS attack, and what can you do to keep your business safe?

What is a DDoS Attack?

A Distrusted Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is a malicious attempt to flood the network of a targeted server, network, or service with extra internet traffic. Every network or business website has limits on the amount of online traffic it can handle. Commonly, the limit is much higher than needed to continue operating effectively and seamlessly.

A DDoS attack takes advantage of the network’s capacity limits on any resource, such as a company’s website, and sends multiple requests to the targeted resource. These requests exceed the server capacity to handle multiple requests, resulting in the targeted website being unable to function as normal. 

DDoS attacks effectively use multiple compromised systems, such as IoT devices, computers, and other network resources, as a source of traffic for the attack called a botnet. By overwhelming your network resources, the botnet prevents you from utilizing your online resources’ services and hinders your business’ operations. DDoS attacks can be both frustrating and costly to manage if they can infiltrate your system. 

Protect Your Business from DDoS Attacks

You can take a few security measures to help protect your network. You first want to ensure you and your team understand the basics of network security. Some of the standard best practices include strong passwords, phishing awareness, and adding firewalls. Maintaining firewalls helps prevent unauthorized access to your network. 

While more secure than no security measures, protecting your network further requires advanced measures to be taken. You need to set up security to prevent your firewall from failing by keeping your systems updated and incorporating a DDoS response in your business continuity plan. 

Another way to protect your business from DDoS attacks is to use the cloud for more aspects of your business. The cloud is better equipped to handle these attacks with its larger bandwidth and security in place explicitly designed to minimize the impacts of a DDoS attack. These basic security measures can help to protect your network from being targeted by a botnet. 

We can Help You Expand Your Network Security

Reach out to learn more about your network security needs and how we help with your daily IT management. Give us a call at 954.474.2204 today.

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Phishing Attacks Are Still Getting More Sophisticated

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Phishing attacks are nothing new in the business world, and they will almost certainly become more prevalent as time passes. Unfortunately, phishing attacks have adapted their practices to get around advancements in security technology, so businesses must work extra hard to spread awareness of phishing to their employees and train them appropriately.

Let’s discuss some of the ways your business might become the target of a phishing attack. There might even be some avenues on this list you may not have considered!

Traditional Email Phishing

Email phishing is the primary method of phishing used by hackers because of how easy it is to send mass emails to countless recipients. These phishing emails often ask users to click on links, download attachments, or confirm sensitive information. A spam filter is often enough to block most phishing emails, but spear-phishing attacks that are focused on one individual user can often make their way through.

Phone Scams

Sometimes hackers will call or text users and ask them to confirm sensitive information, like their date of birth, credit card number, etc. Especially around the holiday season, you may see texts with links to what is supposedly shipping information on a product you have ordered, but in reality, it is a link to download malware or a trap to collect your sensitive information.

Fake Websites

These are particularly crafty, as they can often mirror actual websites with slight variations of their domain name. Common targets for fake website creation are banks, well-known retailers like Amazon, and government agencies. Always assess whether you are on the correct page, and look for encryption in the URL, before entering sensitive information into any websites you encounter.

Social Media Phishing

A recent trend in the cyberthreat space is social media phishing, where hackers use social media as an intermediary for spreading threats. They might use social media messaging apps to contact people directly, or they may make posts that are seemingly quite legitimate but are in fact designed to spread malware or harvest credentials. You must be very careful on social media to avoid phishing attacks.

Ultimately, the best way to safeguard your business from potential phishing attacks is to increase awareness throughout your business. This means having a training protocol implemented for your employees, both new and existing, and constantly reinforcing cybersecurity best practices.

WheelHouse IT can not only help you implement security solutions for enhanced protection, but we can also train your employees and reinforce appropriate cybersecurity practices through periodic testing. To learn more, reach out to us at (877) 771-2384 ext. 2.

What Is the HIPAA Officer?

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HIPAA is a federal law that requires the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge. It needs a responsible officer to ensure that the organization complies with HIPAA.

The HIPAA officer is responsible for overseeing all aspects of HIPAA compliance, from developing and implementing policies and procedures to training employees on their responsibilities under HIPAA. They also need to ensure that any vendors or contractors who may access patient health information comply with them. They are responsible for ensuring that employee, patient, customer data are protected by federal law. This includes managing privacy policies and procedures to ensure compliance with current regulations. A significant part of this responsibility is ensuring that employees understand their obligations to safeguard information against unauthorized access when they have access to it.

What Do HIPAA Compliance Officers Oversee?

A HIPAA compliance officer is in charge of all matters about HIPAA’s requirements and procedures. They are responsible for enforcing the organization’s privacy policies and ensuring the security of protected health information (PHI). This individual monitors the program’s daily operations ensures compliance and investigates any reported breaches. Additionally, the compliance officer will be responsible for upholding the patient rights mandated by HIPAA and other federal and state laws.

All employees must understand what personal information is considered private by the law, so no one mistakenly discloses confidential information about someone else without authorization. They are the person who a covered entity or business associate has designated to ensure that they comply with the HIPAA Security Rule. The officer needs to understand and implement all of the requirements of this rule, which includes maintaining an updated risk analysis, developing and implementing policies and procedures, providing workforce training, etc. 

Duties and Responsibilities of a HIPAA Compliance Officer

A compliance officer is in charge of managing everything about HIPAA standards and procedures. They are in charge of their organization’s privacy policy and the security of protected health information (PHI). This person is responsible for overseeing the program’s day-to-day operations, ensuring compliance, conducting effective employee training programs and management training, responding to breaches, undertaking corrective action and management training, and investigating any claims of violations.

Due to the similarity in duties, the roles of a HIPAA Privacy Officer and HIPAA Security Officer are performed by the same person in smaller organizations. These are common duties and responsibilities of a HIPAA compliance officer:

  • Keep up to date: The compliance officer must keep up with all the latest HIPAA updates. They need to be aware of changes in the law and how they may impact their organization’s privacy policy and security measures. They must always stay up to date on the latest HIPAA guidelines and any changes that may have been added. These updates are mandatory for all current employees to assure compliance.
  • Ensure privacy: The compliance officer is in charge of the privacy policy and ensures that all employees follow it. The privacy policy must protect PHI by HIPAA standards. Compliance officers are responsible for ensuring that PHI stays secure and is never accessed by unauthorized personnel. They must make sure the rules of PHI access are being adhered to at all times, including when employees leave their employment or when they retire.
  • Keep track of progress: The compliance officer is in charge of monitoring the organization’s progress towards meeting its HIPAA requirements. They are responsible for assessing the level of compliance with the law and conducting audits to stay up to date on all procedures. They must ensure everyone meets all the requirements necessary to maintain compliance, such as attending training and taking any required tests.
  • Perform risk evaluations: A HIPAA compliance officer is also responsible for performing risk evaluations. They must identify any risks to the security of PHI and develop strategies to mitigate these risks. This may include installing new security measures or changing how PHI is stored and accessed. They must be aware of PHI and ePHI vulnerability. They must perform risk evaluations to determine the threats that might harm their organization’s data. These threats can come from inside or outside the organization, so they should always remain vigilant for any possible issues. They must ensure employee awareness of individual and organizational HIPAA obligations.
  • Provide an efficient overview: The compliance officer is also responsible for providing an efficient overview of the HIPAA programs for employees. They must create and deliver training on policies and procedures. They must make sure everyone is aware of their roles and responsibilities regarding security. They should follow up on any possible issues and perform regular assessments, even if no issues were found in the previous assessment.
  • Make instructional materials:  A compliance officer is also responsible for creating information on privacy and security procedures. This includes creating pieces of training for employees on how to handle and follow the privacy policy properly. They must make sure all employees are aware of their responsibilities regarding the security of health information and that they understand the risks involved with mishandling this data. They must plan, review, and update these materials periodically as needed.
  • Investigate and acknowledge: A HIPAA compliance officer is responsible for investigating any customer complaints or claims of violations and taking the appropriate actions. They must also acknowledge and investigate any reports of breaches to the security of PHI. They are responsible for compiling and submitting incident reports and following up on these reports. When needed, they must take prompt action and acknowledge the client’s complaint about records purposes.
  • Strengthen the firm’s privacy policies: A HIPAA compliance officer can help strengthen their company’s privacy policies by implementing best practices and guidelines set forth by HIPAA. They can also provide suggestions on improving data security and better protecting PHI. They should make sure employees understand and adhere to policies as needed informing fellow employees of all security risks, especially new hires. Privacy officers should conduct internal security audits of all technology and networks that employees regularly use to ensure that all security practices are followed and that the organization is still following the best safety practices.

Certain Traits of a Compliance Officers

A compliance officer implements and manages HIPAA compliance programs. They are important because they help us stay compliant with government regulations and protect our patients’ privacy. The HIPAA officer is an important position in any health care industry because they are responsible for implementing and managing HIPAA compliance programs. They have certain traits that make them reliable and curious, which helps them understand the ins and outs of these programs.

These are the characteristics of compliance officer that makes them important for us:

  • Reliable: Compliance officers must meet deadlines and complete tasks on time. They should prioritize duties and know when to ask for help if they cannot handle a situation alone.
  • Curious: Compliance officers want to find the root of problems, which makes them good at their jobs because it gives them an understanding of what needs to be fixed. They are also willing to ask questions and need to speak with others in the organization.
  • Diligent: Compliance officers should always complete tasks thoroughly and efficiently. They have a lot on their plate, so they need to stay on top of everything that’s going on in order.
  • Meticulous: HIPAA has many intricate details, so compliance officers must be detail-oriented. They need to keep track of changes and ensure that everyone within their facility is compliant.
  • Interpersonal qualities: Compliance officers must be able to communicate with all levels of staff and patients. They should build relationships and trust with people to get the job done.
  • Business acumen: Compliance officers need to know the ins and outs of the healthcare industry. They should also understand the business so they can help their organization grow financially.
  • Critical thinker: In order to implement HIPAA standards, compliance officers must be able to think critically. They need to know what will impact and how they can turn things around if there are problems. Compliance officers should also explain the importance of policies and procedures in a way that is easy for everyone throughout the organization to understand.

HIPAA is a very important law that many healthcare professionals are unfamiliar with. As the world becomes more digitized, it’s becoming increasingly necessary to have an officer who can make sure your company complies with all of the legalities surrounding health information. They are a very important part of any organization because they are often the first line of defense to protect patients’ privacy. They make sure that organizations abide by state and federal laws governing patient information, including everything from electronic health records to billing data.

As the healthcare industry evolves, all business partners and stakeholders need to take prudent steps to protect patient information. HIPAA officers are key members of every organization’s medical staff who ensure that patients receive high-quality care while safeguarding personal health data.

Wheelhouse IT Can Assist in Maintaining HIPAA Compliance

Health care organizations are required to safeguard the privacy of their patient’s medical records, but many struggles with how to do this.

Most healthcare organizations that have been fined for HIPAA violations felt they were in compliance and didn’t know what else they could do. They just needed a little help navigating the complex regulations of HIPAA.

Wheelhouse IT has experience working with all types of health care providers, including hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and insurance companies as well as businesses outside of the industry who want guidance on how best to protect sensitive data such as financial institutions – no matter where it resides (on-premises or cloud). We’ll even make sure you’re compliant when your staff transitions to the new mobile devices and apps you’ll need to stay connected in today’s market.

Even if it seems like you’re following HIPAA guidelines, no one is immune from a breach when cybercriminals are at work. They’re always discovering new ways to get into networks and steal data. With Wheelhouse IT, you can be sure that your data is encrypted and secure, so you don’t have to worry about anything. Call us now at (877) 771-2384 or email us at [email protected] to learn more about our HIPAA services and how we can help you achieve compliance.

5 Ways Law Firms Can Better Protect Their Data

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Law firms have access to vast amounts of confidential data from their clients, making law firm data security crucial. Unfortunately, some law firms are operated by more traditional, less tech-savvy individuals who lack the knowledge of modern security requirements and threats.

Fortunately, law firms can take some simple steps that will help them better protect their data without overhauling their entire process.

Consider the following five methods for protecting confidential data.

1. Train Employees to Counter Threats

Law firms’ employees are the first line of defense against security threats. Yet, your law firm’s security is only as good as the training workers have received to counter threats to your systems. A frequent means of ingress for hackers and malware is through phishing emails.

Your workers must learn basic office security measures like how to identify a phishing attempt, how to secure their workstation before leaving, and to avoid plugging in random USB or other storage devices they find around the office. Along with additional training, your employees can prevent themselves from becoming victims to the most common threats.

2. Make Sure You’re Using Multifactor Authentication for Apps and Emails

Damage mitigation is an essential aspect of law firm security, too. Essentially, you want to limit what someone can do with small yet valuable bits of data that are relatively easy to obtain. For example, if someone gets access to an email address, they could try to access your company’s applications with it.

By enabling multifactor authentication on your systems, you can thwart most attempts at gaining access in this manner. After all, even if they have an email and a password, they’ll still need access to the user’s phone or biometrics to access an adequately secured program in your office.

3. Limit Your Guest WiFi

Most law firms with a waiting room for clients offer to share their WiFi by providing a password to their clients. Although WiFi is a nice amenity to offer, it also puts you at risk.

If you allow guests onto your law firm’s WiFi, they could access other devices on the network or create and exploit vulnerabilities for malware. Limit your guest WiFi systems and separate them from the WiFi used by your employees to be safe.

4. Consider Implementing Managed Security Services

Not all law firms have IT services on staff, which can leave them vulnerable if they don’t perform timely system updates or have someone available to counter an incursion. Some firms are too small to keep IT workers on the payroll. Sadly, that does not mean that they are less likely to be attacked by hackers than larger law firms.

An excellent approach to this situation is to get a managed services provider (MSP) to implement IT security, provide training, and update your law firm’s systems without having to employ them long-term. MSPs can implement protections that will make a law firm more secure and a less-likely target for criminals.

5. Follow a Proper Data Storage Plan

Although it may feel like modern computers are infallible compared to the systems of the past, hard drives failures, ransomware, and simple storage devices losses are still vulnerabilities for law firms that keep a single copy of valuable data.

A better storage philosophy to abide by is the 3-2-1 policy. Essentially an employee will:

  • Create three copies of important data
  • Use two different forms of media to store the data (Hard drive, USB, external hard drive, cloud)
  • Keep one copy of the data off-site for data recovery (safes or shadow)

This storage plan can ensure a law firm has much better protection for its data and a means to bounce back in the event of a disaster.

Law firms have too much important data to lack a necessary form of security in their offices. Each of the methods mentioned here should be considered or implemented depending upon the existing security state within one’s law offices.

Remember, your business is never too small to benefit from the help of security professionals, and in the case of security, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Learn more about law firm data security and determine if your data is truly secure with a free risk assessment from WheelHouse IT!