Blog

PCI 6.6: Why You Need a Web Application Firewall and Network Firewall

Web application firewalls rest in front of public-facing web applications to monitor, detect, and prevent web-based attacks.

A Snapshot of Firewalls, HIPAA, and Healthcare Security

See how healthcare organizations are managing their firewalls.

How to Comply with PCI Requirement 1: Manage Your Firewall

PCI Requirement 1 deals with setting up and configuring firewalls to protect your business data.

Auditor Tips: Requirement 5: Implement And Update Your Anti-Malware

PCI DSS requires anti-malware software to be installed on all systems that are commonly affected by malware (e.g., Windows).

Achieving lift-off with PCI DSS v4.0

With March 31, 2025 as a target destination, managed security service providers and enterprises from across the digital commerce chain are taking a measured approach to implementing PCI DSS version 4.0.

Changes and Updates to the 4.0 SAQ

This blog will discuss changes to the PCI DSS 4.0 SAQ questionnaires and is based on our Webinar "PCI DSS 4.0: What's New and How It Affects You."

Performing an SAQ P2PE version 4.0 Self-Assessment

This blog will discuss changes made to the SAQ P2PE version 4.0 and will review the process of performing a self-assessment using the SAQ P2PE.

PCI DSS 4.0: What is New and How it Affects You Q and A

Here are some questions participants asked in our webinar, “PCI DSS 4.0: What Is New and How It Affects You.”

PCI DSS v4.0: The Future of the PCI Security Standard

While the PCI v4 standard is not expected to be finalized and released until the end of 2020 or the beginning of 2021, the PCI Security Standards Council has made some information available to the general public on what some of the changes might be.

5 Tips to HIPAA Compliant Mobile Devices

By following basic security practices and policies, you can make your devices HIPAA compliant and keep your data safe.

5 Blogs to Help You Survive PCI DSS and Prevent Security Breaches This Year

Here are 5 Blogs to Help You Survive PCI DSS and Prevent Security Breaches This Year. We cover formjacking, penetration tests, PCI DSS checklists, PCI DSS audits, as well as preparing for incident response.

Auditor Tips: Monitor Your Business Associates’ Compliance

Every covered entity that uses business associates is required to obtain assurances that their business associates treat patient data the way you and HHS require them to.

Auditor Tips: System Updating and Software Development

System administrators have the responsibility to ensure all system components (e.g., servers, firewalls, routers, workstations) and software are updated with critical security patches within 30 days of when they are released to the public.

Auditor Tips: Overcome Management’s Budget Concerns

If you are having problems communicating budgetary needs to management, conduct a risk analysis before starting the HIPAA process.

Auditor Tips: HIPAA Training Best Practices

Workforce members need to be given specific rules and regular training to know how to protect PHI. Regular training will remind them of the importance of security and keep them up to date with current security policies and practices.

Auditor Tips: Permanently Delete Files

Most people know how to destroy physical sensitive data, but when it comes to securely destroying electronic data, most healthcare professionals don’t know where to begin.

Auditor Tips: Healthcare Security And Best Practices

Healthcare security gaps often stem from communication issues. It’s common to see executives and practice leads who aren’t listening to their staff about their current state of compliance and security.

Auditor Tips: Penetration Testing Best Practices

A penetration test will give you a holistic view of what your security system truly looks like. Organizations with poor security practices across their environment leave themselves vulnerable.

Auditor Tips: Minimum Necessary Best Practices

The minimum necessary requirement is a key part of the HIPAA Privacy Rule. The goal of this requirement isn’t to encourage organizations to perform the minimum necessary, but rather for organizations to only use and disclose the minimum amount of PHI necessary

Auditor Tips: Regularly Conduct Vulnerability Scans

Regular vulnerability scans are a critical preventative security control as they detect and assess known weaknesses that may be opening up your systems, applications and networks to undue risk of intrusion. Vulnerability scanning is not penetration testing.

Auditor Tips: Set Up Your Intrusion Detection/Prevention System

You need a team to choose and manage an IDS/IPS. Whether it’s the responsibility of your IT Security Team,Data Loss Prevention Team, a managed service provider, or a designated co-managed team consisting of security-related department heads.

Auditor Tips: Unique ID, Passwords, and Passphrases

More recently, password length, in the form of longer, memorable word strings have proven to be a more important security practice than the use of shorter complex passwords.

Auditor Tips: Implement Encryption

You should implement encryption to protect PHI any time it is stored.

Auditor Tips: Audit Logs and Log Monitoring

Monitoring audit logs for all critical systems and devices in your environment is key to understanding what types of events and actions occur on a daily basis, allowing you to establish a baseline of what is considered normal system activity.