by medicaltechont | Mar 19, 2022 | Cloud, data, hackers, Privacy
Thousands of databases stored in the cloud have been found to be unprotected and exposed to anyone with a browser. These mobile applications ranged from 10 000 or more downloads to 10 million or more downloads, and sensitive data exposed included personal family photos, token IDs on a healthcare applications, data from crypto-currency exchange platforms and more.
Lotem Finkelsteen, head of Threat Intelligence and Research at Check Point Software, says his team found the exposed databases by using Google’s free online tool VirusTotal, which analyses files and URLs to detect viruses, trojans, and other forms of malware.
The amount of data that sits openly and that is available to anyone on the cloud is crazy. It is much easier to breach than we think.
Click here to read more.
by medicaltechont | Jun 26, 2021 | Legal, Privacy, Technology
Data privacy defines who has access to data, and data protection actually provides tools and policies for restricting access to data. Compliance regulations help ensure that users’ privacy needs are fulfilled by businesses, and businesses are responsible for taking steps to protect individual user data.
The issue of data privacy is gaining traction around the world. What can businesses do to ensure that users’ digital rights are protected? Companies have been utilizing user data without their awareness for years, even in places where data collection and security norms and laws are frequently ignored. Consumers and regulatory organizations are increasingly scrutinizing, criticizing, and flagging unchecked data practices. It is critical that businesses follow procedures that assure data security and privacy protection. However, a recent research of mobile health applications discovered that a substantial majority of them are designed to capture personal data from users.
Data protection concerns may stem from a lack of clarity regarding who is protecting their data, what data is protected, and the complexities of multiple privacy laws. Click here, to check out this recent article on mobile apps and data privacy. Or click here to learn more about data privacy.
by medicaltechont | Jun 9, 2018 | Cloud, Privacy, Security
The economic damage of a successful major cyber-attack against a large cloud services provider could be similar in scale to the financial impact of a destructive hurricane.
The destructive tropical cyclone hurricane Katrina hit the US in 2005, causing $108bn in damage — but that could be exceeded by the cost of a major cyber-attack, according to one expert.
Read more at https://www.zdnet.com/article/cloud-computing-why-a-major-cyber-attack-could-be-as-costly-as-a-hurricane/
by medicaltechont | Jun 4, 2018 | Canada, Doctors, e-Health, eHealth, Electronic Medical Records, Healthcare, Ontario, Privacy, Toronto
A total of 5,063 public elementary students were suspended in Toronto this school year after getting caught in what one doctor called, a “1970s-style, cumbersome process” over immunization records.
The number of students suspended amounted to 7 per cent of the 73,262 elementary students in 586 Toronto public elementary schools assessed by Toronto Public Health from July to mid-December 2017. That’s a jump from 5.6 per cent last year.
“All of the students who were suspended either didn’t meet the immunization requirements as they were not up-to-date, their records were not filed on time, or they did not have a valid exemption,” said Dr. Vinita Dubey, associate medical officer at Toronto Public Health.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/02/14/over-5000-elementary-school-kids-suspended-in-toronto-for-out-of-date-immunization-records.html
by medicaltechont | Jan 16, 2017 | Canada, Electronic Medical Records, Healthcare, Privacy
In the not too distant future, Albertans will be able to book a medical appointment, track their cholesterol level, or check their blood tests in a new patient health portal through Alberta Health Services.
Health Minister Sarah Hoffman says the new system is intended to put more power into patient hands.
“Getting results from their lab tests to making sure they (patients) know that a referral has been received by the specialist, that’s a piece of technology we’re hoping to get into the hands of many Albertans.”
Read more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-to-launch-portal-so-patients-can-track-health-data-online-1.3921866
by medicaltechont | Oct 17, 2016 | OHIP Billing, Ontario, Privacy, private clinics
TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – Oct. 7, 2016) – This afternoon, the Wynne government has made public a formal invitation from the Health Minister to Ed Clark to “assess and validate the value these [health data, e-health records and related intellectual property and infrastructure] systems have created for Ontario and to recommend ways to take them to the next level”.
Read more at http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/coalition-warns-health-minister-privatization-ontarios-health-systems-patient-records-2164963.htm
