Computer Security and Hospitals

After visiting a hospital for the past 20 hours or so I noticed some of the blaring security issues which are probably just overlooked. The most notable issue, which is probably the most serious as well, is the fact that the nurses are rolling carts with computers to scan and enter patient information. Now the fact that they nurses have portable stations is not too much of an issue; its the fact that these stations can access all patient information and they are running Windows XP. While the extended support date is through April 8, 2014 there are a number of security issues that can allow anyone who is really wanting to get access to the system inside. Hopefully, they are planning to do a full upgrade to a newer operating system within the next year. But who knows.... The fact that patient records could possibly be accessed is troublesome. How many other doctors offices they are not big hospitals are using antiquated systems that most likely are not patched correctly or just outdated? While hospitals not only host a lot of patient information, they are often linked to other doctors offices or specialty facilites so that they can easily share patient information. While privacy about health issues has recieved a fair amount of attention, are these HIPAA regulations being followed as they are truely intended?

A Very Serious Dialtone

The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy has brought to my attention and many others, that we have become very dependent on technology. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but when the natural disasters strike, do we know how to do anything? Ten years ago, most people could rattle off a few phone numbers if they needed to. 15 years ago, most people could tell you a lot of numbers, or at least had them written down in a location they could get to. Now, most people do not remember more than one or two phone numbers, and if they lose their cell phone they are stuck. That is until they get on facebook and have people send them their phone numbers. But if the power is out and there is no way to access the internet, most people do not have a battery powered radio to find out emergency information. In a country where we can have backup generators to watch every football game as we tailgate in the parking lot of the Georia Dome; most people are not truly prepared for a minor natural disaster that takes out power for a few days.

Security In An Insecure World

As the Holiday season approaches, people begin to prepare to buy numerous things they would not normally purchase. They will make these purchases in malls, department stores, walmarts, kmarts, targets, and more and more frequently the Internet. As billions of extra transactions are beginning to take place, how do the credit card companies track for fraudulent activity. It is easy to say that most people would notice an item on a bank or credit card statement that did not fit their spending habits at all. But during the holiday season, people often shop at places that they would not regularly shop at, and spend more money then they would normally spend. In attempts to secure ourselves we have bought shredders to shred that annoying junk mail and even paid Lifelock to watch for our identities to pop up where they shouldn't. Even with taking these measures, are we really secure? How many times have you handed a waiter your credit card while they went and swiped it out of your view? It does not take much to have something which we think is secure, turned into something completely insecure. After we see that someone has made a fraudulent charge on our credit card, we politely call our bank or credit card company and have the charges removed. But all that money has to get accounted for, and not all of the thieves are caught, much less have goods returned or fully replaced. There is an inherent cost to all of these things. The question is, can we really make things as secure as we seem to think they are?

Business Computing

Today, the computer is at the heart of almost all business. At one time, when cash was the only thing accepted this was not the case, but with the heavy use of credit and debit cards to make purchases, computers are at the end of every transaction made. It is no surprise that as the internet was comming together to be a truly world wide network, companies like American Express and Visa wanted a faster and more convenient way to lend consumers money and collect interest on those purchases. Billions of transactions are made each day and moving that money around accurately, or sometimes inaccurately, is all done with computers across the internet. Of course, computers are at the heart of many businesses in other ways. Most companies can not function without the use of a laptop, desktop, and a smartphone. Computers are used for emailing other employees as well as customers. Many companies now have websites that host a wealth of information about the company and what it offers and why you should choose that company. Aside from communication, which is a major part of every comapny, computers are used to do accounting as well as produce actual products to be sold. The computer is truly intertwined into modern business practices. Without effective computer use, most companies can not expect to keep up with the competition. Can you imagine trying to start a new business today without using a computer?