Digitalizing the processes and workflow have a dental office become more productive and efficient. But it has also positioned these offices at cyber risks. With every business, irrespective of its operational nature, being at risk of cybercrimes, a dental office needs to protect itself from getting exploited. Here are some effective steps that they can take to protect:
Keep The Systems Updated
Software, computers, and operating systems constantly officer software updates to fix minor issues or bugs and improve security. It is tempting to ignore these updates and save them for later but keeping your systems and computers up to date is an imperative step towards cybersecurity. Ensure that you keep your systems, software, and operating systems up-to-date with the latest patches. You can either set automatic updates or schedule it for a time when you are not using the system much. But make sure that you have applied all the latest patches.
Allocate Responsibilities Clearly
Just like any other business activity, it is crucial to identify what needs to be done and by whom. The senior manager should handle the responsibilities, who must hold a comprehensive understanding of the risks and the ways to tackle them. Moreover, management should determine the information and technology that are important for the business. Additionally, some areas may be more critical than others. Therefore proper risk identification should be carried out when setting up security measures.
Control The User Access
Firewalls should guard your computer at all times, but you should also be mindful of who has access to the user accounts. The system contains sensitive information, documents, and passwords, making it imperative to have controlled user access.
Every individual should have his or her own username and password. This will allow them to access the information that concerns their job profile, and the company can restrict the rest of the data access. This will not only prevent intentional or accidental damage by the employees to the system, but it prevents the system from outside intrusions.
Security That Goes Beyond Dental Or Office Practice
Many employees work remotely through their laptops, tablets, or phones. It can be challenging to extend the same stringent security that you apply in the office to remote devices. But you can reduce the cybersecurity risk for your dental practice by checking the employees’ systems and approving them for remote use.
You should provide the employees with anti-virus software and firewall protection. Additionally, their systems should be well-protected by passwords. Moreover, newer models come with protection against unauthorized access to information in case a device is stolen or misused. The information can be deleted even if the user does not have access to the system.
The Bottom Line
Cybercriminals are becoming more and more sophisticated; this is why a dental office should always be prepared for an attack. Do not wait for the computers and other systems to go down. Ensure your anti-virus and firewall are always updated. These can provide advance warning if something unusual occurs. Always be prepared with your next protective step to mitigate the damage as much as possible.
