How to know if your organization has experienced a breach

As seen in the case of the data breach experienced by Familylinks, the organization noticed suspicious activity in one of their employee email accounts. This suspicious activity led the organization to believe that there may have been an incident that compromised data security.

Suspicious activity is one of the common indicators of a data breach. It can be spotted through monitoring tools and techniques such as network monitoring tools, intrusion detection systems (IDS), security information and event management (SIEM) systems, as well as regular audits and penetration testing.

Understanding a data breach

A HIPAA breach is the unauthorized access of protected health information (PHI). Breaches can occur in the following ways:

1. Phishing attacks: When cybercriminals pose as trustworthy individuals to trick employees into divulging sensitive information and login details.
2. Ransomware attacks: When malicious software encrypts data, rendering it inaccessible until a ransom is paid.
3. Physical theft or loss: When devices such as laptops, smartphones, or USB drives containing PHI are misplaced or stolen.
4. Insecure transmission of data: When data is intercepted while transmitted due to inadequate security measures.

Common indicators of a data breach

An indicator of compromise (IOC) is evidence that someone may have breached an organization's network.

These IOCs and IOAs include unusual network activity, unauthorized access attempts, unexplained file changes or deletions, spikes in help desk activity, and unexpected shutdowns or system crashes.

Monitoring tools and techniques

Breach tools such as network monitoring tools, IDS, and SIEM systems detect threats inside your network and alert you to leaked data that can be used to gain unauthorized access to PHI. They also monitor activity on the dark web to identify illegal trading of personal information.

How do they work?

The following aspects of breach tools are what make it possible to detect breaches:

1. Real-time alerts: The ability to receive real-time or near-real-time alerts when your organization's data is detected on the dark web.
2. Comprehensive data set: These commonly include monitoring the dark web, hacker forums, darknet markets, paste sites, Telegram channels, various ransomware gangs, and other hidden services where stolen data is often traded.
3. API support: API integration allows for complete automation and end-to-end remediation.
4. Integration with existing systems: Dark web monitoring tools integrate with the rest of your existing security stack, like SIEM systems and your SOC (Security Operations Center) for seamless communication.
5. Incident response tools: These tools enable incident response investigators to understand who a threat actor is, other usernames and passwords used by the attacker, and the ability to pivot on various pieces of information to build a comprehensive picture of an attack.

FAQs

What steps should I take if I suspect a breach?

Take immediate action to isolate and investigate the breach and then fulfill the notification requirements.

What are the legal requirements after a breach?

The HIPAA Breach Notification Rule requires covered entities and their business associates to provide notification following a breach of PHI.

What preventative measures should I take to avoid future breaches?

Train employees on data security best practices and phishing awareness and implement the latest password policies, multi-factor authentication, regular software updates, and data encryption.

Related: Preventing HIPAA violations