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Archive for the ‘USB Key’ category

Leak Fear as Hospital Loses Patient Detail

April 29th, 2011

Flah Drive

As the number of laptop and data storage device robbery increasing day by day, the negligence of different organizations about the implementation of data encryption software and laptop encryption software come to the notice of ICO. Though ICO is trying hard to make all the organizations aware about the importance of encryption of data but the organizations are showing to less energy to encrypt the laptops and data storage devices. As a result of that any short of data or device loss is making huge effect on the organization.

ICO came to know that recently at Queen Marry Hospital a flash drive which contained the details of the patients of that hospital had been lost. Though the main copy of those data has been stored in a computer with password protection but the data in the flash drive was neither encrypted nor password protected.

The hospital informs that the flash drive contained the names and id numbers of at least 19 patients of them. From this we can easily understand the situation that is going to occur if the incident came to the notice of those patients. And not only in this hospital but this thing is happening in everywhere like; schools, different organizations even in antivirus developing organizations also. A source of the hospital informed that the data was stored in the flash drive from a password protected computer to upgrade the computer. The management of the hospital immediately lodged a report to the police and they assured that the treatment of the patients would not be affected due to this incident.

Such type of incidents shows us the importance of data encryption software, computer security software. If encryption is enabled in our system and storage devices then we do not have to worry about the manipulation of data after the data has been lost. Though a lot of encryption software is available in the market and ICO is trying their best so that every organization uses those encryption softwares to protect their system and data but due to unawareness and negligence most of the organizations show lethargy to implement it in their organizations. ICO has decided to take some serious steps so that every organization will implement those softwares in their organization.

Though the hospital informed the police and the patients and apologized to them for their mistakes, just to put off the light from their fault but everyone can easily understand the effect of this incident.

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Posted in Alertsec Express, Computer security, Data Protection, Encryption, Encryption Chip, Hard Disk, USB Key, full disk encryption

Tags: Cloud computing Cryptography data encryption Data storage device Encryption security

USB Key containing vital health record stolen

August 7th, 2010

A USB key containing vital health record of 763 patients was stolen from a University Health Network employee in Ontario. Soon after, Ontario’s privacy commissioner Ann Cavoukian has launched a new awareness campaign for health care workers.

She said all patient information copied onto mobile devices like laptops, PDA’s, USB keys etc must be encrypted because health care workers don’t seem to recognize the fact that information in such devices poses a privacy risk.

Currently, all clinical devices such as laptops and desktops are encrypted at University Health Network comprising of Toronto General, Toronto Western and Princess Margaret hospitals. Dr. Bob Bell, President & CEO stated that by the end of September, all research computers will be encrypted.

We are in the process of putting USB keys across the organization that are encrypted. We told all our staff they must put patient information on an encrypted device if they need to put it on a device at all. The next step is to move to an encryption of any kind of downloading from a clinical site onto a remote device,” he said.

“This step will, however, create compatibility issues with other programs UHN staff use in teaching and research. It will make things more difficult but our first priority is the safety and confidentiality of our patients,” he added.

Police was notified by the UHN officials after a pharmacy assistant, doing an analysis of antibiotics in surgical patients, got her purse stolen.

“I don’t think there’s any suggestion that there’s valuable information on the USB key or that people actually knew what was in her purse or even that people would understand the data that’s on there,” said Bell.

He added that patient names, admission, discharge and medical procedure dates were in the files, but OHIP numbers, addresses, phone numbers or any other information that could compromise the financial security of the patients was not in the files.

UHN staff received notice of the “Think Before You Copy” campaign on Wednesday, encouraging them to reconsider the transfer of files to mobile devices, and to use encryption and password protection.

“Personal health information is the most sensitive information about you that exists…the fact of disclosing what surgical procedures you had, indicating what ailments you had, that alone is highly damaging from a privacy-invasive perspective,” said Cavoukian.

This is one amongst the many incidents of computing devices being stolen from healthcare workers. Previously, a laptop of a UHN employee was stolen from a car.

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