Your data is your business’s most crucial asset. For healthcare institutions, not only is it valuable, it needs to adhere to strict guidelines or the institutions face serious fines and penalties. So, how do you need to protect Protected Health Information (PHI) in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and what do you need to look for in a HIPAA compliant data and backup recovery provider?
Requirements of HIPAA Data Backup and Recovery
HIPAA outlines and mandates requirements for backing up PHI and making sure it’s able to be recovered in the event of a disaster, such as a crash or a cyberattack. Here is what is outlined for HIPAA data backup and recovery:
- Contingencies. Develop and execute contingency plans for response to emergencies in which there is damage to PHI.
- Data backup. Develop plans to create and maintain copies of PHI
- Data restoration. Create and maintain plans to restore any lost data.
- Risk management. Execute security measures to mitigate and reduce risk to ensure the integrity and availability of PHI
- Encryption. Encrypt PHI wherever necessary.
Here are a few of the top-rated HIPAA compliant data backup and recovery services.
Carbonite
As a HIPAA compliant data backup and recovery provider, Carbonite has been a brand leader in backup and data recovery. They stress easy deployment and control. They’ll help with the setup and installation to ensure it remains 100% HIPAA compliant. It’s simple to configure on the provider’s end and is customizable to fit their healthcare needs. A central console monitors the backup and backup jobs.
Carbonite uses the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), as chosen by the U.S. Government in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). AES is the standard for securing and encrypting data. They also run consistent security audits, and PHI training to maintain HIPAA compliance.
How are they HIPAA compliant?
- User verification and role-based access. Allow only those trained and authorized in accessing and viewing PHI can have access.
- Monitoring. Visibility into backup jobs.
- Encryption. Images and file backups use end-to-end 256-bit AES encryption.
- HIPAA/HITECH
Store your data locally and in the cloud and know you can access your backups at any time, and in the event of an emergency, you can restore your data from the image backups. Technical support is available by phone, or you can have support remote access to solve your issues.
Learn more about Carbonite.
N-able
While they serve all businesses, they do specifically serve the healthcare industry.
N-able’s data centers follow SSAE16 compliance measures to ensure the latest technology, security, and even fire suppression measures. As an organization, they know the HIPAA law and how data needs to be protected and secured. Consistent backups are performed and their support teams are available to guide you through any recovery – from a single file to restoring a server.
N-able has a strong reputation in the cloud backup industry. Here’s how they remain HIPAA compliant:
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Ongoing risk analysis
- Automatic backup and verification
- Strong password requirements
All in all, N-able has customer support available by phone and on-call support in the event of emergencies.
Learn more about N-able.
Datto
Datto is another backup provider that has healthcare-centric backup and recovery solutions. Opti9 is HIPAA compliant and offers local and cloud-based backup for PHI and other sensitive information.
Datto provides HIPAA-compliant data backup and cloud storage, off-site backups, and disaster recovery managed from their data centers. They will also sign HIPAA business associate agreements (BAA) with their customers which are among the strictest in the industry. A DevOps team oversees all channels and implements critical patches and updates to maintain HIPAA compliance.
According to regulations, all data transmissions with 3rd party APIs happen over a 256-bit encrypted channel (TLS).
Datto’s HIPAA-compliant services:
- Public cloud
- Private cloud
- Disaster recovery
- Offsite backups
Datto provides enterprise-grade backup and recovery that’s HIPAA compliant, ensuring all PHI is safe and secure.
Learn more about Datto.
Acronis
Acronis is a cyber protection provider whose services include data backup and recovery. All data is protected according to HIPAA guidelines.
Acronis’s cloud backup and security is FIPS 140-2, CJIS and HIPAA certified, and meets all the requirements set forth by HIPAA. When you access their public sector page, they have their HIPAA-compliant seal, front and center.
Another point, Acronis will also sign a BAA with covered institutions that require it and implement all encryption methods and safeguards to keep PHI protected and accessible to those able to view and access it.
Learn more about Acronis.
Barracuda
Barracuda is one of the leaders in data protection and recovery. Barracuda offers on-premise and hybrid deployments, as well as cloud-based solutions.
Accordingly, Barracuda is a HIPAA compliant data backup and recovery provider and is committed to protecting systems and PHI from all threats. Barracuda ensures data is protected and all solutions are monitored to maintain compliance to avoid fines and penalties.
Another key point, Barracuda uses military-grade encryption, data loss prevention, and other advanced measures to protect your data. Barracuda will sign a BAA. Data uploaded to Barracuda’s Cloud is protected with TLS encryption and all data stored is encrypted with 256-bit AES and stays encrypted until retrieval.
Here are some other ways Barracuda maintains HIPAA compliance:
- Role-based access
- Audit trail of all activity
- IP restrictions
- BAAs
- PHI retained for a minimal number of years
Barracuda has phone and email support available 24/7 to assist with any data emergencies.
Learn more about Barracuda.
If you have questions about data backup and recovery, the experts at EVERNET will be your resource. We have a team of experts skilled in data backup and recovery and can ensure your backups remain HIPAA compliant. Let’s schedule a discovery call. We’ll get to know your needs and ensure we find a fit tailored to those needs.
Eric is a Business IT cybersecurity advisor, consultant, manager, integrator, and protector who founded EVERNET in 2007. Eric co-hosts a podcast called “Finance and Technology Insights by Brian & Eric” on YouTube. Eric is a regular contributor to the EVERNET blog, writing about the latest technology news and providing his expertise in cyber security prevention and management.
