Wi-Fi Networks Leaving Patients Susceptible to Loss of Personal Data

Wi-Fi networks are widely used in hospitals and doctors' offices to transmit data to and from mobile devices. Increased information sharing is good news for patients. Time savings and convenience are plusses for doctors. But if left unsecured, wi-fi networks can leave patients susceptible to the loss of personal data. And physicians and health organizations run the risk of violating HIPAA, potentially resulting in thousands of dollars in fines and loss of customer confidence. Even the most stringent internal privacy regulations need to keep up with the ever-changing ways in which information is shared. Here are 8 tips to help protect a wi-fi network and ensure patient data is protected:

1. Whenever possible, don't store sensitive data on wireless devices. If required, ensure the data is encrypted.
2. Enable password protection on wireless devices, and configure the lock screen to come on after a short period of inactivity.
3. Turn on the Remote Wipe feature of wireless devices.
4. Enable Wi-Fi network security. Do not use WEP, and only use WPA-1 with strong passphrases. Use WPA-2 if possible.
5. Change the default SSID and administrative passwords.
6. Don't transmit your wireless router's SSID.
7. Only allow your devices to connect by specifying their hardware MAC address.
8. Implement a Wireless Intrusion Prevention System."