According To The Authors, Privacy And Security Go Han 553844

According To The Authors Privacy And Security Go Hand In Hand And He

According to the authors, privacy and security go hand in hand; and hence, privacy cannot be protected without implementing proper security controls and technologies. Today, organizations must make not only reasonable efforts to offer protection of privacy of data, but also must go much further as privacy breaches are damaging to its customers, reputation, and potentially could put the company out of business. As we continue learning from our various professional areas of practice, its no doubt that breaches have become an increasing concern to many businesses and their future operations. For this discussion, find an example of a security breach which compromised data records at a company in the same industry as you will be using in your final paper.

Summarize the breach, discuss the data that was lost and identify security controls that you would recommend be in place (be certain to remember to cite sources) that could have prevented this breach from occurring. At least one scholarly source should be used in the initial discussion thread. Be sure to use information from your readings and other sources from the UC Library -- 500 Words

Paper For Above instruction

In today's digital age, the interplay between privacy and security is more critical than ever. Organizations are increasingly reliant on technological safeguards to protect sensitive data, especially as data breaches can severely tarnish reputation, incur financial losses, and compromise customer trust. This essay examines a notable security breach in the healthcare industry—the 2015 breach at Anthem Inc.—to highlight the importance of robust security controls in safeguarding private health information (PHI), and discusses preventative measures that could mitigate such incidents.

The Anthem breach involved a sophisticated cyber-attack where hackers gained unauthorized access to the company's network, ultimately exposing the personal information of approximately 78.8 million individuals (Krebs, 2015). The breach was initiated through a phishing campaign that compromised employee credentials, enabling hackers to infiltrate the system undetected for weeks. Once inside, they extracted sensitive data, including names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, and employment information. Notably, the breach did not involve direct medical records but exposed personally identifiable information (PII) that could be exploited for identity theft and fraud (Office for Civil Rights [OCR], 2019).

The loss of such data presents significant risks. PII is highly valuable on the black market, and once compromised, it can facilitate identity theft, financial fraud, and malicious activities against individuals. Moreover, the breach damaged Anthem's reputation, leading to legal consequences and financial penalties, including a $16 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS, 2018). This incident underscored the vulnerabilities in Anthem's security framework and the urgent need for enhanced controls.

Preventative security controls are essential for protecting sensitive data and preventing similar breaches. First, implementing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) could significantly reduce unauthorized access, as it requires multiple verification methods beyond just passwords (Aloul, 2016). Second, employee training programs should reinforce awareness about phishing and social engineering tactics, ensuring staff can identify suspicious activities proactively. Third, deploying advanced intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS) can monitor network traffic and alert security teams to unusual activities in real time, allowing swift responses (Sivasubramanian et al., 2019). Fourth, regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing can identify and remediate security gaps before attackers exploit them. Finally, strict access controls should be enforced, granting only essential personnel access to sensitive data, aligned with the principle of least privilege (ISO/IEC 27001, 2013).

In conclusion, the Anthem data breach exemplifies how vulnerabilities in security controls can result in devastating consequences for organizations and their clients. It reinforces that the protection of privacy relies heavily on implementing comprehensive security measures. Employing multi-layered controls such as MFA, employee education, intrusion detection, periodic risk assessments, and rigorous access management can substantially reduce the risk of data breaches. Protecting privacy in the digital realm is an ongoing challenge that necessitates continuous adaptation and investment in advanced security technologies. Only through such proactive measures can organizations uphold the integrity of their data and sustain customer trust in an increasingly interconnected world.

References

• Aloul, F. (2016). Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): An Approach for Enhanced Security. Journal of Cybersecurity, 2(3), 135-142.
• HHS Office for Civil Rights. (2018). Anthem Data Breach Settlement. https://www.hhs.gov
• ISO/IEC 27001. (2013). Information technology — Security techniques — Information security management systems — Requirements.
• Krebs, B. (2015). Anthem Hack Exposes 80 Million Personal Records. Krebs on Security. https://krebsonsecurity.com
• Office for Civil Rights (OCR). (2019). 2019 HIPAA Audits and Breach Reports. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
• Sivasubramanian, N., Subramanian, R., & Kumar, S. (2019). Role of Intrusion Detection Systems in Network Security. Journal of Network Security, 15(4), 50-59.
• Author, A. (Year). Title of scholarly source. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), pages.
• Author, B. (Year). Title of relevant security control study. Publisher or Journal, pages.
• Author, C. (Year). Examination of cybersecurity strategies in healthcare. Journal of Medical Informatics, Volume(Issue), pages.
• Author, D. (Year). Advances in data security and privacy protection. Security Journal, Volume(Issue), pages.