Tag Archives: security

On December 1, 2022, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a bulletin to highlight the obligations of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) on covered entities and business associates under the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules (“HIPAA Rules”) when using online tracking technologies.  These online tracking technologies, like Google Analytics or Meta Pixel,… More

On June 10, 2021, China adopted a new Data Security Law that will impact every business operating in or doing business with China. The law, which will take effect in less than a month (September 1, 2021), is sweeping in scope, imposes extensive data processing obligations, and establishes potentially severe penalties for violations. Although many of the details surrounding implementation remain unclear, given the law’s extensive requirements and severe penalties for noncompliance,… More

On May 12, 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order which is aimed at improving the nation’s cybersecurity and protecting federal government networks.  The Executive Order has been in the works for some time, but the timing of its release is a response to the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack.

According to the Fact Sheet issued by the White House, this Executive Order will:

• Remove barriers to threat information sharing between government and the private sector
• Modernize and implement stronger cybersecurity standards in the Federal Government
• Improve software supply chain security
• Establish a Cybersecurity Safety Review Board
• Create a standard playbook for responding to cyber incidents
• Improve detection of cybersecurity incidents on Federal Government networks
• Improve investigative and remediation capabilities

The overall impact of the Executive Order is limited,… More

By now, you have heard about the SolarWinds Orion hack. But what do you need to know about it?

First, if you want or need the technical details, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has them. In particular, on December 13, 2020, CISA released Emergency Directive 21-01: Mitigate SolarWinds Orion Code Compromise, ordering federal civilian executive branch departments and agencies to disconnect affected devices.… More

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey recently announced the creation of the Data Privacy and Security Division within her office, with the stated goal of “protect[ing] consumers from the surge of threats to the privacy and security of their data in an ever-changing digital economy.”

The leadership of the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG’s) privacy and security efforts will not change:  Sara Cable,… More

On March 21, 2020, the last of the features of the NY Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act (“SHIELD Act”) became effective:  its data security requirements.  The SHIELD Act is a sweeping statute governing individual rights relating to data breaches.  It was adopted in July 2019 and has been rolled out in the months since then:  its breach notification provisions took effect on October 23, 2019, and its data security requirements have now taken effect. … More

On January 4, 2020, the US Department of Homeland Security posted at National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin, in the wake of the killing of a senior Iranian military leader by a US drone.  That DHS advisory states:

The United States designated Iran a “State Sponsor of Terrorism” in 1984 and since then, Iran has actively engaged in or directed an array of violent and deadly acts against the United States and its citizens globally.… More

What do pumpkin spice lattes and National Cybersecurity Awareness Month have in common?  Not much, other than both should be top of mind in October, but that doesn’t mean that it’s wrong to think about them both in August.

Held every October, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure every American has the resources they need to stay safe and secure online while increasing the resilience of the Nation against cyber threats.  … More

In early June, the Cyberspace Administration of China released for public comment new draft regulations applicable to the collection of personal information relating to children under 14 by online service providers.

The draft regulations share many of the same structures as those utilized by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”) in the United States:

• online service operators will have to obtain parental consent based on a comprehensive disclosure about the collection,…

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Start-up companies know that, when potential investors kick the tires, they will look carefully at the company’s business model and IP portfolio.  These days, investors are also likely to look at whether the company is in compliance with privacy and data security laws.  Cybersecurity has become increasingly important for business of all sizes.  While identity thieves may focus on the target rich environments of large-scale enterprises,… More