As the integration of technology in the workplace accelerates, so do the challenges related to privacy, cybersecurity, and the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI). Human resource professionals and in-house counsel must navigate a rapidly evolving landscape of legal and regulatory requirements. This National Privacy Day, it’s crucial to spotlight emerging issues in workplace technology
FAQs for Schools and Persons Affected By the PowerSchool Data Breach
A massive data breach hit one of the country’s largest education software providers. According to EducationWeek, PowerSchool provides school software products to more than 16,000 customers, largely K-12 schools, that serve 50 million students in the United States. According to reports, PowerSchool informed customers that, on December 28, 2024, PowerSchool became aware of
Tips for Vacation Rental, Property Mgmt. Businesses Facing Vendor Cybersecurity Risk
No organization can eliminate data breach risks altogether, regardless of industry, size, or even if the organization has taken significant steps to safeguard their systems and train employees to avoid phishing attacks. Perhaps the most significant reason these risks remain: third-party service providers or vendors.
For most businesses, particularly small to medium-sized businesses, service providers
Key Takeaways for Healthcare Providers Following HHS OCR’s Most Recent Ransomware Investigation
Announcing its fourth ransomware cybersecurity investigation and settlement, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) also observed there has been a 264% increase in large ransomware breaches since 2018.
Here, the OCR reached an agreement with a medium-size private healthcare provider following a ransomware attack relating to potential violations of the HIPAA Security Rule.
Colorado Expands Protections for Biometric Information under the Colorado Privacy Act
When Colorado enacted the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA), it included “biometric data that may be processed for the purpose of uniquely identifying an individual.” However, the CPA as originally drafted did not cover the personal data of individuals acting in a commercial or employment context. Last week, Colorado amended the CPA to broaden the protections
Downstream Breaches Cause Headaches for Healthcare Providers, as State AG Seeks Law Change to Require AG Notification
For healthcare providers and health systems covered by the privacy and security regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a breach of unsecured protected health information (PHI) likely triggers obligations to notify affected individuals, the federal Office of Civil Rights (OCR), potentially the media and other entities. The breach also may require
Corporate Boards Mulling Effects of SEC Cyber Enforcement and CISO Exposure, and Possibly Hacker Complaints to SEC
According to a New York Times story this weekend, the Security Exchange Commission’s lawsuit against SolarWinds is driving discussions in boardrooms and corporate security departments of large organizations about the handling and reporting of cybersecurity breaches. It turns out that such boards and departments may not be the only ones following the SEC’s increased focus
Cybersecurity Awareness Month Series: FBI Director Asks for Help to Fight Cyber Attacks
When hit with a cybersecurity attack, organizations are often not inclined to bring in federal law enforcement. Recent comments by FBI Director Christopher Wray at Mandiant’s annual mWISE 2023 conference seek to encourage the private sector to reconsider, as reported in CIODive. Doing so is an important consideration and depending on certain factors, it
Insights From The IBM 2023 Cost of a Data Breach Report
The annual Cost of a Data Breach Report (Report) published by IBM is reliably full of helpful cybersecurity data. This year is no different. After reviewing the Report, we pulled out some interesting data points. Of course, the Report as a whole is well worth the read, but if you don’t have the time to
OCR Official Speaks About Compliance Concerns for HIPAA Covered Entities and Business Associates
What do ransomware, Yelp, and website tracking technologies all have in common? They are troubling areas of concern for HIPAA covered entities and business associates, according to one official from the federal Office for Civil Rights (OCR) which enforces the HIPAA privacy and security rules. Recently, the Executive Editor of Information Security Media Group’s (ISMG’s)