SMART IT Services, Inc. Blog

Is Your Agency HIPAA and HITECH Compliant?

Monday, June 06 2011

IT Blog

Does your agency have a benefits side? If so, you are required to protect the health information of your clients when transmitted via email.

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, passed as part of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), calls for protected health information (PHI) to be rendered unreadable and unusable.

Encryption is a logical and easy way to protect client information sent via email. There is a lot of confusion on the subject, so we have setup a page on our website with more information about HIPAA and HITECH compliance.

While you're there, you can learn about the solution we offer to help you achieve compliance.

Learn more.

Tags:

email encryption HIPAA HITECH Act

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Security Bulletin: Microsoft Outlook Reading Pane Vulnerability

Tuesday, November 08 2011

Jerry Fetty

IT Blog

We all have our preferences when it comes to how we work. Our Microsoft Outlook settings are no different.

Many people like to have their inbox set up with the reading pane to preview emails at a glance without fully opening them. This is a common practice that, unfortunately, opens up users for unwanted viruses and threats via email.

Emails sent to your inbox containing viruses or malware will install the threats when the emails are viewed in the preview pane, whether or not you've fully opened them or not.

To avoid this potential danger, simply turn off your Outlook reading pane. To do this, go to View > Reading Pane > Off.

This should be done for Outlook Web Access as well because the threat is the same.

Tags:

Email Microsoft Outlook Security

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Tech Tip: Secure Your iPad

Thursday, January 12 2012

Jerry Fetty

IT Blog

While mobile devices such as iPads have increased convenience and provided some business benefits, these devices are not without risks.

Here are some basic steps you can take to improve the security of your iPad.

Configure mobile devices securely.
Some simple configurations can aid in the security of your iPad. Enable password authentication, ensure SSL protection is enabled, utilize remote wipe capabilities, and avoid using auto-complete features that remember user names and passwords.

Connect to secure Wi-Fi networks.
Avoid joining unknown Wi-Fi networks.

Update mobile devices frequently.
Be sure to maintain up-to-date software including operating systems and applications.

Utilize anti-virus programs and configure automatic updates if possible.
Just as your PC should have a proper anti-virus solution, your mobile devices should be equipped with anti-virus protection where possible.

Use an encryption solution to keep portable data secure in transit.
If confidential data must be accessed or stored, make sure users have installed an encryption solution.

Properly wipe devices and dispose of properly.
Get your device properly wiped – don’t just pitch it!

Develop guidelines for acceptable iPad and mobile device usage.

Additionally, there are solutions that allow you to secure and manage multiple devices that include functionality like device tracking, profile management, and preventing unauthorized app downloads. One such solution is SMARTmobile Security from SMART I.T. Services. Contact us to learn more about how to secure your mobile devices and make managing them a breeze with SMARTmobile Security.

Tags:

Tech Tip iPad Security

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Don’t Fix an IT Problem Just to Have to Fix it Again

Monday, August 10 2015

Jerry Fetty

Business

We live in a world where money is the solution to all problems. If you have a problematic piece of technology, what do you do to fix it? You can call in the professionals, or shell out for new hardware or software. Either way, you’re spending money, but the difference in how much you need to spend depends on the policies your IT support budget specifies.

Tags:

Managed Service Provider Proactive IT Budget

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Tip of the Week: 4 Ways to Help Prevent Comment Spam

Wednesday, August 12 2015

Jerry Fetty

How To

While it might be nice to imagine making $500 a day by working from home, this is the type of thing only really seen in a website’s spam comments. If these annoyances are common, know that you’re not alone. Even the most innocent sites can be stricken with this issue. So, how can you minimize spam comments?

Tags:

Firewall spam Tip of the Week

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