Encryption and the Loss of Patient Data

Bibliographic Data

ID11680868
AuthorsAnna R Miller (0000-0003-0094-5226, University of Virginia, corresponding author), Catherine E Tucker (0000-0002-1847-4832)
Year2011
Volume30
Issue3
Pages534-556
Publication date2011-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Policy Analysis and Management (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0276-8739 • E-ISSN: 1520-6688
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/pam.20590
PMID21774164
OpenAlexW1512769858
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited16

Fast‐paced IT advances have made it increasingly possible and useful for firms to collect data on their customers on an unprecedented scale. One downside of this is that firms can experience negative publicity and financial damage if their data are breached. This is particularly the case in the medical sector, where we find empirical evidence that increased digitization of patient data is associated with more data breaches. The encryption of customer data is often presented as a potential solution, because encryption acts as a disincentive for potential malicious hackers, and can minimize the risk of breached data being put to malicious use. However, encryption both requires careful data management policies to be successful and does not ward off the insider threat. Indeed, we find no empirical evidence of a decrease in publicized instances of data loss associated with the use of encryption. Instead, there are actually increases in the cases of publicized data loss due to internal fraud or loss of computer equipment. © 2011 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management

Business · Computer security · Data breach · Data loss · Database · Encryption · Hacker · Insider · Internet privacy · Political science · Computer Science · Cybercrime and Law Enforcement Studies · Information and Cyber Security · Law · Spam and Phishing Detection

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