Encryption methods in healthcare

Today's healthcare environment is predominantly digital and can hold many cyber threats, making safeguarding patient information and complying with HIPAA increasingly important. Encryption ensures that sensitive data remains secure, both at rest and in transit.

Go deeper: Why healthcare is a major target for cyberattacks

Why encryption matters in healthcare 

Encryption turns readable data into unreadable code, making it inaccessible to unauthorized users. This protects electronic protected health information (ePHI), which includes medical records, billing information, and any personal details stored or transmitted electronically. Implementing encryption helps healthcare organizations prevent data breaches and maintain patient trust. 

According to a chapter in Cybersecurity and the Evolutions of Healthcare, it’s important for patients to trust hospitals and any other system that handles their data. When these systems are compromised, the confidence patients have in the systems diminishes, leading to a loss of trust in the healthcare provider. 

Read more: Healthcare and cybersecurity

Common encryption methods

• Advanced Encryption Standard (AES):  A widely-used encryption standard known for its efficiency and strong security. It uses keys of varying lengths—128, 192, or 256 bits—and is considered one of the most secure encryption methods available. AES is ideal for encrypting large volumes of data, such as patient records, and is often used to secure stored data in healthcare databases.
• Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA): A public-key encryption method that utilizes two keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption. It is particularly useful for secure data transmission. RSA is frequently employed to secure communications, such as emails containing PHI, and to authenticate users accessing patient portals.
• Transport Layer Security/Secure Sockets Layer (TLS/SSL): TLS and its predecessor SSL are protocols that encrypt data during transmission over the internet. They ensure secure communications between systems. These protocols safeguard data exchanged between healthcare websites, patient portals, and other online services, protecting it from interception.
• Full Disk Encryption (FDE): Encrypts all data on a hardware device, such as a laptop or mobile device, rendering it unreadable to unauthorized users without proper credentials. FDE protects  PHI on portable devices that may be lost or stolen, ensuring data remains confidential even if the device is compromised.
• Data masking: This involves altering data to obscure sensitive information while maintaining its format and usability. This method protects data during software testing and development, allowing developers to work without exposing real patient information.

Best practices for encryption in healthcare

• Regularly review and update encryption protocols to address emerging threats
• Train staff on the importance of encryption and secure data handling
• Implement multi-layered security measures alongside encryption, such as firewalls and access controls
• Conduct periodic audits to ensure compliance with security standards

Read more: Independent audits for HIPAA compliance

FAQs

What happens if encrypted healthcare data is stolen?

Even if encrypted data is stolen, it remains unreadable without the proper decryption keys, protecting patient information from unauthorized access.

Which encryption method is most secure for healthcare data?

AES is considered one of the most secure encryption methods for healthcare data due to its strong protection and efficiency.

How does encryption protect data during transmission?

Protocols like TLS/SSL encrypt data while it's being transmitted, ensuring that even if intercepted, it remains unreadable to unauthorized parties.