Computer Security Best Practices
You’d do anything to protect your patients, right? You’ve chosen an EMR that feels the same way, which is why Atlas takes all kinds of precautions to keep your information safe from a server standpoint. You can read about those over here but there are other elements you should be considering. Things only you have control over.
So we’ve gathered some best practices for how you can stay on top of your network, and your machine’s security. Pay special attention if you use Windows and aren’t sure what to do in light of some of the headlines you may see about cyber security…
Stay Updated
As in, always make sure you’re running the latest version of your operating system. The older it is, the more holes hackers and spyware software have found through it. The latest releases make sure to patch those holes before you even know about them. It only takes a few minutes, and does wonders for keeping your computer safe. Plus, you can even schedule them to happen automatically so you don’t have to do a thing.
Choose Strong Passwords
It goes without saying… except it doesn’t. Choose a strong password that wouldn’t be easily guessed. You know, one with at least 8 characters and includes lowercase and capital letters, numbers, and special characters just to keep things interesting. Save it to your keychain so you don’t have to worry about remembering it.
Keep Your Sensitive Info to Yourself
You know, things like your social security number or credit card. Unless you completely trust the site you’re on, just don’t share them. Tempted as you may be, resist the urge to share every piece of sensitive data on social media sites, too. Not everybody on the internet wears a halo! And nobody on Facebook needs to know where you opened your latest bank account.
Heads up for Scams
They’re lurking around the corner of each suspicious website you visit, so beware that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Some of the resources we’ve shared below offer email newsletters that will help keep you up to speed on which viruses and spam are making their way around the internet, so you might invest a few minutes of your time in reading one or two of them.
Stay Away From the Unrecognizable
If that attachment looks weird, or you have no idea who it came from, or it has an extension from a domain you’d never in a million years allow your kids to visit, do not open it. We repeat: don’t click it. Not even once. Delete the email and go on with your day.
Additional Resources
There are a bajillion safety tips out there, but here are some we’d recommend taking very seriously. Several of the tips in these articles have already been covered here, but you know what they say – can’t be too careful.