Health Information Management

Organizations responsible for most security incidents

HIPAA Weekly Advisor, April 9, 2007

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Most data security incidents are due to organizational mistakes, rather than hackers, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Washington, in Seattle.

A Case of Mistaken Identity? News Accounts of Hacker, Consumer, and Organizational Responsibility for Compromised Digital Records, 1980-2006 shows that although hackers have been responsible for about 31% of incidents from 1980 to 2006, "mismanagement" has accounted for 60% of breaches. Mismanagement includes the following:

  • Missing/stolen equipment
  • Administrative errors
  • Theft or abuse by employees
  • Accidental posting of sensitive information online

However, the authors of the study acknowledge that hackers have more impact in terms of volume of compromised records, accounting for approximately 45%. Organizations are responsible for about 27% of compromised records.

Click here to read a draft of the report.



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