Security: It brings instant thoughts to mind:
- The lock on your front door.
- The firewall built into your operating system.
- The password you use to login to your bank account.
A hacker knows you’re paying attention to the obvious. What a criminal is looking for is a back door. They want a way in that you’ve never even considered before. They want easy - a wide open front door.
And they can find it all over your medical practice.
The wireless coffee machine you brought in for the employee kitchen was a great idea. You can tap a button, and have a fresh pot of coffee waiting for you when you arrive at work. And no more wondering late at night if you turned it off - login from anywhere and control it.
That might be the perfect way for a hacker to enter.
If you start to look around you, you’ll see things in a completely new way. The phone on your office manager’s desk might be a problem. So might the new virtual personal assistant you placed in your office. The potential is everywhere. So is your security risk.
And that means your view of security needs to change right along with it. Pay attention to:
USB devices
If it has a USB port, it can be a potential problem within your office. That includes everything from an employee’s smartphone, to the fan they plugin on their desk to stay cool. A lot of new devices use USB for power, with minimal smart function. But once you plugin, that’s when malicious intent can begin.
Cameras for everything
“I always feel like, somebody’s watching me” isn’t just the lyrics to a top-of-the-charts song. Increasingly, the possibility someone is watching you is becoming a bigger threat. Anything with a camera or microphone can reveal your practice’s secrets. Not only can they watch or listen to what you are doing, but they can record keystrokes, or take in your credit card information as you read it over the phone,
Your building is at risk too
Chances are you rent space, and are just a small part of a larger building. No matter how well you control your practice inside your four walls, you’re also being impacted by the policies of the building.
In order to attract higher quality tenants, building managers are always looking for ways to make their spaces more appealing. They upgrade to make the entire building smarter and more functional for ease of use. But that can put you at greater risk.
Think a smart thermostat that runs every office in your building can’t be a weak link in your practice? If you use a regular outlet to plug anything in, if a sophisticated hacker has his way, he can easily use it as an entrance to everything you do.
Is somebody watching you?
As a security officer, you must have a policy in place. If you haven’t considered all the ways someone can hack into your practice, isn’t it time?
For IT Strategy, Cloud Conversion, or Help Desk Services reach out to us at Silver Linings Technology 360-450-4759.
