Help Me With HIPAA

Ever wonder how a $5.9 million HIPAA penalty turns into just $140,000? No, it's not some clever investment strategy. It's HIPAA penalty math, and this case raises more questions than answers. What started as a patient simply trying to get a copy of their dental records uncovered missing records, questionable safeguards, nonexistent policies and procedures, and a whole lot of resistance to OCR's in...

What could nine seconds possibly do for your cybersecurity? Maybe more than you think! Cybersecurity doesn't start when you clock in at work. It starts at home, with the everyday decisions we make online. In this episode, we're celebrating Cybersecurity Awareness Month by exploring simple ways to build better security habits that protect our families, coworkers, and communities. From the Take 9 ca...

Cyber threats are moving at lightning speed, while regulations seem to be taking the scenic route. But what happens when the rules finally catch up? Will healthcare organizations be ready, or will they find themselves scrambling to meet expectations they should have been preparing for all along? In this episode, Donna and David dig into proposed HIPAA Security Rule changes and cybersecurity legisl...

Everybody wants AI to make things faster and easier. And it can. The problem starts when "AI is helping us" turns into "AI is doing it, so we stopped checking." This week, Donna and David talk about why keeping a human in the loop isn't enough if that human is just clicking "approve", how agentic AI changes the risk equation, and why organizations need real guardrails, governance, and accountabili...

Small businesses are making progress on cybersecurity, and that's worth celebrating. But are they actually as prepared as they think they are? In this episode, Donna and David dig into the 2026 Small Business Cybersecurity Awareness and Practices Survey and the gap between confidence and readiness. From MFA and backups to incident response, testing, documentation, and the rapidly changing risks of...

There is no shortage of tools, scans, checklists, and reports that promise to help with cybersecurity, but calling something a risk analysis does not magically make it one. This episode takes a hard look at what OCR keeps saying about Security Risk Analysis, why incomplete SRAs continue to show up in enforcement actions, and why understanding your actual environment still matters more than simply...

Every October, the National Cybersecurity Alliance uses Cybersecurity Awareness Month to remind us how to stay safer online, and this year's message is beautifully simple: don't make it easy for the criminals. They're looking for weak passwords, missing MFA, unpatched software, and people who click before they think. In other words, they're rattling digital doorknobs to see which ones open. This e...

Remember when spotting a phishing scam meant looking for terrible grammar, a suspicious link, and maybe a Nigerian prince having a bad week? Those were simpler times. Today's attackers can sound like your IT department, use tools you already trust, and even walk you through legitimate-looking security steps. The scams have gotten much better at looking trustworthy, which means the old security awa...

There are two times to spend money on cybersecurity: before something goes wrong, when you still have choices, and after something goes wrong, when your choices have packed a bag and left town. With the average U.S. data breach now costing $11.5 million, the question isn't whether security costs money. It's whether you're spending that money on the things most likely to keep a bad day from becomin...

Ransomware used to sound like a fairly straightforward nightmare: attackers get in, encrypt your files, demand money, and ruin everyone's week. Unfortunately, the business model has gotten an upgrade. Today's ransomware groups are stealing massive amounts of data, recruiting affiliates with surprisingly competitive revenue splits, disabling security tools, contacting patients directly, and even hi...

Cybersecurity has always been a moving target, but lately the target seems to have strapped on roller skates, grabbed an AI assistant, and headed straight for the nearest hotel Wi-Fi. Vulnerabilities are being patched at record rates, attackers are finding clever new ways to steal credentials, and AI agents can now take action with surprisingly little supervision. In this episode, we look at what...

Most organizations have an incident response plan, but how well would it hold up if your normal communication channels suddenly couldn't be trusted? In this episode, we dive into a nationwide healthcare cybersecurity exercise that challenged participants to think beyond compliance and technical defenses, exposing just how critical preparation, collaboration, and secure communication become during...

Regulations may move at the speed of a sleepy turtle, but patient expectations certainly don't. As healthcare organizations wait to see what the final HIPAA Privacy Rule will include, there is a surprising amount of work that can, and should, already be underway. This episode explores the practical steps you can take now, the common misconceptions that continue to create confusion, and why prepari...

Cyberattacks are expensive—but just how expensive? This episode dives into a brand-new study that finally puts real numbers behind the financial impact of data breaches, using thousands of cyber insurance claims instead of scary headlines and wild guesses. From ransomware and business interruption to cyber insurance surprises, you'll discover why the biggest cost isn't always what you think. If yo...

Think cybersecurity is all about how much money you throw at the problem? Think again. In this episode, we unpack the idea of the "cybersecurity poverty line" and why being under-protected isn't always about having an empty wallet. From outdated technology to missing expertise and leadership roadblocks, you'll discover why even organizations with healthy budgets can still leave the front door wide...

If you've ever caught yourself saying, "We're too small to be hacked," or "That's why we have cyber insurance," you might want to keep reading. This episode shines a spotlight on five cybersecurity assumptions that seem perfectly reasonable – right up until they cost you time, money, or your sanity. From misplaced confidence in vendors to the myth that restoring your systems means the crisis is ov...

What do lava lamps, whoopee cushions, and HIPAA have in common? More than you'd think! This week, a familiar mall retailer famous for gag gifts and lava lamps finds itself at the center of an OCR enforcement action that highlights a common misconception about employer-sponsored health plans. Along the way, you'll learn why "we've never had a problem before" isn't a cybersecurity strategy, how self...

Ever wish you could get expert HIPAA advice straight from the source – without the invoice? This episode digs into a little-known offering: the "free consulting" that the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) actually gives out, if you know where to look. We break down the seven biggest lessons buried in official OCR videos and settlement guidance, covering everything from keeping tabs on your inventory (...

Healthcare is rushing to adopt AI, but most organizations haven't figured out what it really means to keep it in check. The HSCC just released an AI governance framework aimed at helping healthcare leaders get ahead of the curve—before "shadow AI" and unapproved tools turn into a bigger problem. This episode breaks down why AI governance isn't just IT's job, where most organizations are getting st...

AI isn't just a buzzword anymore—it's showing up everywhere in healthcare, whether you realize it or not. In this episode, we get honest about what it means to live and work with AI, why so many people still feel anxious (or even a little excited) about it, and why avoiding it altogether just isn't an option. We dig into practical ways healthcare teams can safely experiment with AI in their daily...

Are healthcare organizations overcomplicating cybersecurity and missing the basics? In this episode, Donna and David break down the newest Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report and what it really means for hospitals, clinics, and business associates. Despite all the AI headlines and talk about new threats, most breaches still come down to old-school problems—missed patches, credential abuse, a...

How much should we really trust the systems and people we rely on every day? This week, we're looking at how trust itself can open the door to risk – whether it's attackers using AI to speed up finding software flaws, insider threats turning frustration into vulnerability, or the limits of encryption we thought was unbreakable. As healthcare organizations try to keep up, these aren't just tech pro...

AI is showing up everywhere these days like ketchup at a backyard cookout — apparently it belongs on absolutely everything. But as this episode points out, tossing AI into healthcare operations without governance is basically just upgrading your chaos to premium speed. Using insights from a massive global digital health study, the conversation explores why leadership, oversight, and workforce enga...

Cybercrime has officially entered its "hold my beer" era. In this episode, we break down the FBI's annual Internet Crime Complaint Center report and the numbers are equal parts fascinating and horrifying. We're talking over $20 billion in reported losses, exploding ransomware attacks, AI-powered scams, fake charities, romance cons, business email compromises, and criminals who apparently work hard...

If you've ever wondered what happens when ransomware, bad decisions, cyber insurance confusion, and TikTok tech advice all collide in one spectacular dumpster fire… this episode is for you. The conversation dives into four fresh OCR enforcement actions that all share one painfully common theme: nobody did a proper risk analysis until after everything caught on fire. Add in cybersecurity "professio...