In the News
The Healthcare industry continues to be vulnerable to data breaches. In Hackers breach Healthcare.gov system, taking files on 75,000 people, Zach Whittaker at TechCrunch discusses an internal breach of user information at Healthcare.gov, the website responsible for setting individuals up with access to services covered under the Affordable Care Act. Whittaker explains that sensitive information may have been exposed, but that the information exposed in the breach has not yet been announced.
Our Take
When signing up for any account or service, the security of your personal information should be a top priority. For government run services, users often believe that security for these sites is sufficient to protect their information. However, this is not always the case and even if best practices were followed, all online services have some level of security risk. The services that Heathcare.gov administers are meant to better the accessibility to healthcare for a reduced or free rate and the idea of discounted services might make individuals drop their guard in terms of security concerns. As the article mentioned, one needs to submit highly sensitive information to register on the compromised site. In doing so, one is put at risk for identity theft and other privacy risks. It is important for the government to identify who was behind such attacks, publicize what information was breached, and take steps to reduce the risk of another breach occurring.
Recommendations
How can you protect your personal information when signing up for online services?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to
- Don’t reuse your account passwords, and take advantage of multi-factor authentication where possible
- Stay up to date on news regarding recent fraud and phishing attacks to see if you may have been affected