Select a company that’s been around long enough for other businesses to have used their product. This is not the time to try out the free, local application the high school DECA team put together. It probably goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway: choose a reputable company with a proven track record. When it comes to working with PHI, the passwords protecting sensitive information need to be secure, which means that your password manager must also be secure. Which Password Manager Is Best for Users Who Work with PHI? However, Total HIPAA believes that a password manager, used in conjunction with two-factor authentication and smart security measures, should absolutely be part of your HIPAA compliance program. This means no Business Associate Agreement or Business Associate Subcontractor Agreement is needed with the provider. Furthermore, password managers are not HIPAA compliant themselves because they do not store Protected Health Information (PHI). HIPAA requires that passwords are managed, but not necessarily by a password manager. A password manager is a program or system that manages your passwords. Password management is simply the act of managing passwords. 45 CFR §164.308(a)(5) stipulates that Covered Entities must implement “procedures for creating, changing, and safeguarding passwords.” With that said, don’t confuse password management with a password manager. The HIPAA law mandates that password management be part of your HIPAA compliance plan. Everyone should be using one.” 3 Password Managers and HIPAA “But for most users, they’ll offer a much better combination of security and convenience than they have without them. “Password managers are not a magic pill,” says Lujo Bauer, a security researcher and associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University. For example, a password manager doesn’t lock the screens on your devices or force using two-factor authentication on sensitive accounts. Nothing can take the place of understanding basic cybersecurity and implementing the policies and procedures that your organization defines. While there’s incredible value in implementing one, it’s not the end-all-be-all password security solution. Some can even remember information about apps on your smartphone.Ī password manager is a huge help. Sequences of numbers like PINs, credit card numbers, CVV codes, and answers to security questions are no problem for a password manager. They store all your passwords in a single database or vault that’s accessed by a single, master password. The Advantages and Limits of Using a Password ManagerĪ password manager can generate, retrieve, and keep track of strong, random passwords across countless Internet accounts. 2 But until that happens, how can you be sure you’re keeping your electronic information safe? Some big companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google want to replace the existing password system with fingerprint scans, facial recognition, and temporary codes. The more passwords you have, and the more times you use the same password for multiple accounts, the higher at risk you are of compromising your company’s systems. A 2017 report from Verizon indicates that insecure passwords cause 80 percent of breaches. If you’re using weak passwords or the same password for more than one site, you’re not alone. We recommend using a password manager to keep your information safe. If you’re using unique, strong passwords as HIPAA and NIST guidelines recommend, it’s impossible to remember them all. 1 You likely have tons of usernames and passwords to keep track of. The average Internet user has at least 90 online accounts, and within three years, researchers estimate the number may triple. We’re all storing more information online than ever before. A Password Manager Can Help Pave the Way to HIPAA Compliance
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