Author: David Phillips

David is an expert in cyber risk management, cybersecurity, and data privacy. For 20+ years, David has represented multiple businesses as a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Data Protection Officer (DPO), and IT Compliance / Risk Officer. Leveraging his experience with US Government agencies, global technology companies, and accounting firms, David constructs cybersecurity strategies, data compliance programs, and security operations centers to protect sensitive corporate and customer information. David’s expertise allows him to apply truly effective security controls to security, privacy, and regulatory compliance programs. Specific industries include finance, utilities, gaming, energy, healthcare, and manufacturing where incident response planning, privacy impact assessments, SOC 2 preparedness, penetration testing, cyber migration strategies, and capabilities maturity models (CMM) are best implemented and monitored by veteran security personnel. Industry and regulatory frameworks where David specialize include HIPAA, PCI-DSS, GDPR, PIPEDA, SOC 2, NIST 800, ISO, and SCADA.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Securing Healthcare Beyond Passwords

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time to remember that security is everyone’s responsibility, especially in healthcare where a patient’s information privacy is vital.

Passwords have protected sensitive electronic data since the 1960s, and they have been flawed since the beginning. Most people choose passwords that are easy to remember, which also makes them easy to guess. Even after spending decades in the cybersecurity business, my family still creates passwords inspired by the name of our pets. You’ve heard the saying, “the cobbler’s children have no shoes.”

Top 4 Ways to Protect Health Data

According to HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR), an average of 57 health data breaches are reported each month, putting sensitive information at risk for millions of people. Healthcare organizations are prime targets for malicious attacks because health information contains private and deeply personal data that can be used to extort, embarrass, or harm individuals.