USB Keys: Risks & Strategies

Anne Genge, CEO and Co-founder of Healthcare Compliance Network Inc., returns to speak with Dr. Suham Alexander about the inherent risks in using USB keys in dental practices. 

Highlights

While these portable drives are convenient and easy to use, they can place the practice, patient information and the dentist at risk, if the drives are misplaced, lost or infected.

• Information can be easily transferred and retrieved from USB keys which makes them both easy to use and a threat to privacy and confidentiality of important information.
• USB drives can introduce viruses and other malware into hardware.
• All USBs that house private and confidential information should be encrypted so the information is unretrievable by an unauthorized party.
• Dental practices should formulate and adhere to policies for the use of portable drives within the office.