"The Current" Vaporstream Secure Messaging Blog

The Current

HHS Gets Serious About Healthcare Emergency Preparedness & Communications

If you are a healthcare provider or supplier that engages with Medicare and Medicaid programs, it’s urgent that you understand and comply with new Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) healthcare emergency preparedness regulations (“EP Regulations”) to protect your access to Medicare and Medicaid programs. Under the new rules issued by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services providers must comply by November 15, 2017. That is this calendar year folks. Are you ready?

Streamlining Care Coordination for the Home

Vaporstream® Secure Messaging is a game changer for care teams and their patients who rely on in-home care. While many have tried to rely on secure emails and portals for communication, most are finding that text messaging better allows users to avoid long delays between responses.

New Cybersecurity Regulation Risk Assessment for Financial Services: Text Messaging

In March 2017 the nation’s first cybersecurity regulation became law imposing strict cybersecurity measures on financial institutions operating in New York. The new rules specify everything from naming a Chief Information Security Officer, to risk assessments, event notification, encryption, penetration and vulnerability testing, training and monitoring and audit logs.

Bridging the Gap in Your Circle of Care

More and more healthcare organizations are turning to tools, such as Vaporstream’s Secure Messaging platform, to communicate efficiently and effectively when a patient relies on homecare.

Keeping Communication Open During Out-of-Course Events

The biggest cyberattack in history has been spreading the globe since last Friday. Spanning across 150 countries, the 300,000 victims have included government agencies, hospitals, manufacturers and universities. When ransomware attack affects your organization how can you keep a secure line of communicaiton with your team? Read on to learn why ephemeral messaging should be a part of your incident response plan.

Vaporstream Continues to Innovate for Healthcare Providers

Gartner, Inc. has mentioned us this year in the “Where Are They Now” section of its annual its Cool Vendors in Healthcare Providers, recognizing vendors for identifying innovative, impactful advancements within healthcare as well as big data processing and new security approaches to protect the data.

Health Discussions and The Impact on Privacy

Unlike healthcare providers, family members are not subject to the privacy and security mandates in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). However, there is a huge market for medical information, drug prescriptions, social security numbers and credit card numbers on the dark web. Cybercriminals are mastering how to invade devices to steal this exact type of information we bandy about in our family beehives during a health crisis.

Spring has Sprung Events Have Begun!

Vaporstream has a number of exciting engagement opportunities popping up this spring as our Security Experts head out on the road. Our team is looking forward to meeting with the home care community as we head to the midwest, the northeast and down south over the next month.

Battery Consumption Got You Down?

Suffer from battery depletion anxiety? Read on to find out what steps you can take to alleviate some of your cellphone battery usage fears.

FCC, CIA and Your Privacy. What Does It All Mean?

It seems that every day we have a slew of new sensational cases and revelations that make us stop and think “Is our privacy over? Does anyone even care? What are we to do to protect ourselves?” I say, relax, the situation is bad, but it is not as bad you might think and probably not for the reasons you might think so.

The Connected Patient: A Call for Secure Text

Quick – when was the last time you used your smartphone to investigate a health issue? If you are like most people you are probably a “connected patient” using smart devices to take more ownership of your health. A 2015 Pew Research Center (PEW) report shows 62% of smartphone owners use their phone to look up information about a health condition. And many of us now also use our smartphones to correspond with providers.

Improving Healthcare Communications on the Go

Communication and effective collaboration within the healthcare industry is not always as easy as it should be. Care teams – from doctors and nurses to the patients and their caregivers – need the ability to communicate efficiently, effectively, privately and securely to ensure the highest level of service. Unfortunately, this is an ongoing challenge, particularly when it comes to long term and home based healthcare.

A Commitment to Customer Service: What Happens When That Commitment Falters?

I travel on business almost every week and I never share my experiences, but I thought this time it is worthwhile to do so as this is an example for all of us on how to view customer service.

Streamlining Communications for Optimal Patient Care

As text messaging is the preferred form of communication today – whether via native SMS text or through texting applications – many healthcare professionals rely on it to collaborate for faster clinical decisions.

Vaporstream on the Road

February is an exciting time for the Vaporstream® team of Security Experts as we engage with both the healthcare and security communities of the RSA Conference, HIMSS17 and the 35th Annual Texas and New Mexico Hospice Organization Conference.

Secure messaging ban: Why The Joint Commission got it wrong

In its latest update, The Joint Commission banned the use of secure text messaging for patient care orders due to concerns over privacy and security. The decision was a curious one, since it came just a few months after announcing an end to the very same ban. Though its concerns are certainly warranted, as healthcare is the most targeted sector for cyber-attacks, The Joint Commission’s latest assertions against secure text orders are, quick frankly, unsubstantiated. In fact, modern secure messaging platforms not only address the issues raised by The Joint Commission, but can also serve to improve a hospital’s security, efficiency and compliance.

Six Steps to Protect Yourself Against Cyber-Crime

There is only one thing certain in today’s world, and that’s uncertainty. It was certainly driven home by the election results, where everyone was certain of the outcome, until they were not. It is disconcerting to live in this environment. From random terrorist attacks to unprecedented economic and geopolitical events, we need to almost block out the news cycle. In order to survive in this environment, it is important to make a list of things that are in your control and those that are not.

5 Lessons for Secure Business Communications in 2017

On December 10, 2016, Two articles in the business section of the Wall Street Journal caught my eye. The first article concerned well known Facebook in an article named “Facebook Investors Press Suit On Shares”. It is of particular interest, in that it suggests that “Facebook Inc’s move to change its capital structure was tainted by secret text messages and meddling from financial advisers that pointed to a process rife with conflict of interest…”.

Secure and Safe Holiday

To our customers, partners, growing network of supporters, friends, family and dedicated colleagues; we wish you all a wonderful, safe and peaceful holiday season.

The Vaporstream Team.

Facing Critical Risks and Threats to Compliance

One of the greatest compliance risks businesses face today is the wild field of communication. Communication is still taking place with old technology, like email. We saw from this year’s election how easy it is to hack email and leak it, especially when the email is not under your control anymore.

Is Your Patient Data at Risk?

Don’t be fooled into complacency!
You and your patients are probably more familiar with security risks, the costs and hassles associated with inadequate data protection than you realize.

When “Consumer” Mobile Device Habits Make Their Way into the Office

It is no secret that we are living in a digitally evolving world. The use of personal mobile devices continues to increase as constant advancements bring more and more convenience to our busy lives. With today’s smart phones you can do almost anything you want with just the tap of your finger. It leaves me wondering – what’s next?

Of all the many ways mobility has made life easier, it has made the most significant impact to me, personally in the way I do business. With internet access and the ability to collaborate and communicate in my pocket, I can now get work done from anywhere, any time. I – we – have been enabled to – well – be more mobile.

Giving Thanks

In Chicago, the leaves have all fallen, the air is getting colder and glittery Holiday displays have begun to surround us. Fortunately, it is also the time of year when we can slow down and sit with our loved ones to give thanks for all that has brought us good fortune this year.

Compliant Healthcare Texting

The healthcare industry, by nature, demands a high level of privacy and compliance, but it also demands quick communication between care providers to ensure best-in-class patient care. Therefore, many healthcare providers are turning to mobile devices to enable faster, more efficient communications. “Today, short mobile communication methods like text is getting immediate response and better read rates, facilitating a new way of doing business,” said Galina Datskovsky, CEO of Vaporstream. But what happens to information and images that are texted and left on these personal devices? How do you maintain privacy, security or compliance?

Information Governance for Mobile Messaging and the Role of Enterprise Apps

As the workforce becomes increasingly mobile and employees rely on texting for quick, easy communication, organizations across industries have been driven to create policies that guide how the information created by mobile text messaging is managed. These frameworks help to effectively support recordkeeping, answer compliance needs and ensure data availability for eDiscovery. Information governance is one such accepted discipline, ensuring a reasonable level of security for records and information that require protection.

The Age of Email is Over

“Whoever Wins the White House, This Year’s Big Loser is Email.” Thus, reads the headline in the NY Times on October 19, 2016. Indeed, in the current election cycle, month after month, the focus has been on hacked and released emails, on disappearing emails, on emails that reappear on various devices – not of the user’s choosing. It certainly seems that the people who sent those emails should have known better than to write what they actually wrote in the first place.

Why the Enterprise Needs its Own Texting App

Today’s fast-paced, mobile world offers dozens of solutions to help users communicate instantly at their fingertips. Texting has become the communication method of choice, with 97 percent of Americans using it at least once a day.

Is There a Doctor in the House?

Smart phones by far are the most used device across industries and households to date, providing efficiency in the way we collaborate and get things done. Particularly in the healthcare industry, the use of smart devices by care giving teams has grown significantly.

Message Security Does Not End with Encryption

Encryption is very effective at protecting information from the man in the middle attack. However, many breaches and leaks of information happen due to very different circumstances.

End-to-End Benefits of Recruiting Talent with Secure Mobile Communications

Secure communications are essential to the HR recruiting process. From initial correspondence with potential new hires to salary negotiations, HR recruiters need the ability to communicate internally and externally while keeping confidential information secure. But, keeping this information private in today’s technology landscape can be a challenge for both recruiters and job candidates.

What Might a Judge Do? BYOD and COPE Part 4: A New Twist

The last few weeks we have discussed what a Judge might do several scenarios. This final post introduces a new twist.

What Might a Judge Do? BYOD and COPE Part 3: AN ARREST AND PROSECUTION

The last few weeks we have discussed what a Judge might do during a civil action and a criminal investigation when considering cell phone data. This week we will discuss an arrest and prosecution.

What Might a Judge Do? BYOD and COPE Part 2: A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION

Last week we discussed what a Judge might do during a Civil Action when considering cell phone data. This week we continue onto the criminal investigation.

What Might a Judge Do? BYOD and COPE Part 1: A Civil Action

This is the first in a series of posts that will explore various aspects of data from cell phones. As an introduction I would like to “set the stage” by describing a series of facts that all subsequent posts will examine from the viewpoint of a court that must apply legal principles to the facts.

A New Web Experience for Vaporstream.com Visitors

We are proud to announce that today we unveiled an entirely new web experience that better reflects our mission. We are driven to help customers better address privacy and security when collaborating with colleagues, partners and their clients. The ability to communicate with confidence directly impacts the speed of business.

Balancing Security and Usability in a BYOD World

“How much security do you want with your software?” It’s a legitimate question that gets surprising answers. Often, the initial answer is “as much as I can have,” “the more the better” or “all of it!” But once people stop to think, they often come up with quite different answers.

8 Lessons to be Learned from the Recent DNC Hack

A few weeks ago we saw yet another email scandal. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) emails were hacked and over 19,000 emails were made public during the convention. The revelations lead to the resignation of the chair of the DNC and dominated the discourse during the opening night of the convention. It is amazing that in today’s world, after the revelations of the Sony emails, anyone would still write emails of this sort. Whatever happened to the old saying, “if you don’t want it on the 5 o’clock news, don’t put it in an email!” It seems like there is a general feeling of “it won’t happen to me” that permeates many organizations. So what is one to do?

4 Steps to Ensure the Appropriate Retention and Disposition of Enterprise Text Messages

Red Team Exercise and Incident Response Preparedness

Why would you be hacked tomorrow, and all your encrypted data targeted by the latest ransomware?

The Legal Industry Hacked: Why Ephemeral Messaging is Critical

In late March of 2016, the Wall Street Journal reported that hackers had broken into the computer networks at some of the country’s most prestigious law firms, including Cravath, Swaine & Moore and Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP.

Independence and Technology: Reflections on July 4th

Welcome back from what we hope was a happy and relaxing July 4th. Happy Independence Day! For us, July 4th is a particularly meaningful holiday. It’s an opportunity to spend time with family and friends and to appreciate the freedoms and liberties we have living in the United States of America.

Secure Messaging for the Medical Profession

With the recent approval of secure texting by the Joint Commission, finding a secure, HIPAA compliant messaging solution is imperative for hospitals and independent practitioners. Utilizing secure texting not only enables the safe transmittal of sensitive information but more efficient patient care team communications

Zombies, Pizza and Cyber-attacks: A Story of the DDoS Attack

In our complex world of cyber-attacks and cyber security, there is a lot to understand and prepare for. There are many terms thrown around that all mean one thing to most of us – bad news. But what is really behind something like a DDoS attack?

The New Collaboration Tool for Business: Secure Text Messaging

People engage in conversations over phones in public areas without a thought to who can overhear, or about the potential consequences. There is a blind faith that privacy is somehow granted by being surrounded by strangers. That privacy is often valid, however strangers don’t always equal safety.

5 Tips on Handling Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware knows no bounds. The malicious software has hit hospitals, law firms, universities and has even targeted Capitol Hill.

5 Steps to Ensure Information Integrity and Transparency for Enterprise Text Messaging

Author—Galina Datskovsky The ARMA Information Governance Principles are very relevant to today’s world of mobile communications. There are 8 of them all together, and in this blog series we will discuss 7 of them in detail. In our last two blogs we discussed the principles of protection, availability and compliance. This one will be focused

The Mobile Lawyer and Secure Communications

Author–Kristi Perdue Hinkle Lawyers today work anywhere and everywhere, frequently from airports, coffee shops, client or home offices. Like most organizations today, many law firms and legal departments allow lawyers to use personal devices for work (BYOD), or supply their lawyers with company/firm-owned devices (COPE). According to the American Bar Association (ABA), 91% of lawyers

Joint Commission Approves Secure Texting for Patient Care

Author–Kristi Perdue Hinkle The month of May marked a huge step forward for enhancing patient care communications. The Joint Commission, which accredits healthcare organizations, reversed its long ban on physicians and other clinicians from using text messaging to place orders related to patient care. This announcement was made in the May edition of Perspectives, the

Four people you should be afraid of… And none of them is a hacker

Author—Avi Elkoni “Beware of hackers!” everyone says. “Before you send sensitive information think about how you send it; consider information security, encryption, firewalls and secure messaging, because hackers are out to get your precious information!” This is true, but hackers should not be your only concern when considering the safety and privacy of sensitive information.

9 Steps to Ensure Information Availability and Compliance for Enterprise Text Messaging

Author–Galina Datskovsky The ARMA Information Governance Principles are very relevant to today’s world of mobile communications. There are 8 of them all together, and in this blog we will discuss 7 of them in great detail. In our last blog we discussed the principle of protection. This one will be focused on Availability and Compliance.

Ephemeral Messaging Explained: Why Should an Organization Use It?

What is ephemeral messaging and why would my organization consider using it? It’s a fair question. Ephemeral messaging is hardly a phrase that rolls off the tongue—nor is it a phrase that’s typically heard in day-to-day conversation.

Universities, Secure Messaging and Emergency Response

Author–Kristi Perdue Hinkle On the heels of the largest data breach on record, it is easy to say that data breaches have become big, and all too common, news. We see it flash across the screen daily: legal firm—leak, hospital—ransomware, government agency—hacked. Cyber security is no longer something just for financial organizations to worry about—it’s

Biggest Breach Ever Places a Glaring Spotlight on Law Firm Security

Author–Kristi Perdue Hinkle The revelation last week that 11.1 million confidential client documents were compromised at a Panamanian law firm is a mammoth triggering event for the legal industry. Legal is next up to feel the hot glare of the cybersecurity spotlight, following on the heels of healthcare, retail, banking, entertainment and government headline-making cyber-attacks.

Bold Move for Privacy!

Author–Avi Elkoni In the aftermath of the war between Apple and the FBI, the unexpected announcement this past week from WhatsApp to provide end-to-end encryption for its 1 billion active monthly users is a bold statement for privacy. In spite of the very public debate about encryption, WhatsApp, an online messaging service, has continued forward

6 Steps to Ensure Information Protection for Enterprise Text Messaging

The ARMA Information Governance Principles are very relevant to today’s world of mobile communications. There are 8 of them all together, and in this blog series we will discuss 7 of them in great detail. We will not touch on the principle of Accountability, as having an accountable executive is necessary to the success of any endeavor, not just mobility and mobile messaging. I would like to start this installment with the Principle of Protection.

Security Breach and the Connection to your Mobile Workforce

Author–Avi Elkoni Today’s workforce has gone beyond mobile. It is fluid. The physical mobility of devices has improved so drastically that the lightest devices from 20 years ago would be the heaviest devices today. People aren’t just working in different places because they have to, they are working everywhere because mobility enables them to. The

Rising Concerns about Board of Directors and Executive Communications

Author–Mike Koclanes In this Age of the Internet, confidential information is more easily exposed than ever before. Real-time communication tools and social media give everyone with Internet access the ability to publicize information widely. Confidential information is always at risk of inadvertent or even intentional exposure. The current cultural emphasis on transparency and disclosure—punctuated by

Privacy in a 24×7 Connected and Mobile World?

Author–Kristi Perdue Hinkle Privacy a: The quality or state of being apart from company or observation: seclusion b: Freedom from unauthorized intrusion <one’s right to privacy> Private conversations should be private. But in today’s 24×7 connected and mobile world, you and your employees are going to have to earn that privacy. Privacy should not be

3 ways to Avoid becoming a Cyber Hostage

Author–Galina Datskovsky A few weeks ago Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center was held hostage by hackers. Yes, literally and unbelievably so! Hackers got into the hospital data systems and virtually shut down all operations for 10 days. The hospital chose to pay the ransom of $17,000 rather than risk further embarrassment and no access to their

Care Team Collaboration – Does Mobile Health Really Improve Patient Care?

Author–Mike Koclanes Globally, healthcare systems are facing large-scale care delivery challenges. In the US, increased prevalence of chronic diseases and aging populations are exacerbating healthcare delivery costs. To address these challenges healthcare organizations are turning to technology and new workflow processes to enable clinicians to make better-informed, faster clinical decisions and to enable patients to

Hi Tech Obligations: “PRIVACY” in the United States

Author–Ronald J. Hedges I addressed the tension between law enforcement and individual rights in my last blog, Hi Tech Obligations: The Tug-of-War Between the Constitution and Law Enforcement. Now I want to begin a discussion of a similar tension between privacy rights of individuals and, to be blunt, what appears to be an all-pervasive societal

Learn How Secure, Ephemeral and Compliant Messaging Improves Healthcare at HIMSS 2016

Author–Vaporstream Team Vaporstream® is excited to announce that they will be attending the HIMSS 2016 Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada from February 29th to March 4th. The HIMSS Annual Conference & Exhibition brings together over 40,000 healthcare professionals, clinicians, executives, and vendors from around the world. The conference is known for the over 300 education

Hi Tech Obligations in Business and Law Enforcement – Part 2: Personal Communications

Author–Galina Datskovsky In my earlier blog post “Hi Tech Obligations in Defense of the US: Part 1 Corporate Communications”,I took a look at the obligations and expectations that Corporations have regarding security and privacy of information. This week we are going to discuss the individual – the private users of what the industry has called

Keeping Your Business Your Business in a Mobile World

Author–Kristi Perdue Hinkle In a world full of transparency, privacy has become a luxury. We are constantly surrounded by people – both in person and on-line – that would love to get their hands on our information for fun and profit. Discussions about health, legal and financial matters; mergers and acquisitions; human resources; inventions and intellectual

Learn how eDiscovery is Evolving in a BYOD World at LegalTech New York

Vaporstream® will be back at LegalTech New York 2016 from February 2nd-4th. Meet with Vaporstream’s team of experts for a private meeting to learn how you can effectively incorporate mobile messaging into your eDiscovery, compliance and mobile strategies. The rapid rise of mobile messaging and bring your own device (BYOD) strategies for business has made

Hi Tech Obligations The Tug-Of-War Between The Constitution And Law Enforcement

Author–Ronald J. Hedges Introduction. This title expresses a conundrum that we face in the United States: We cherish the rights guaranteed by the Constitution, specifically, the Bill of Rights. At the same time, we recognize that criminal activity can be organized and facilitated through electronic communications. How do we balance these rights with the needs

Hi Tech Obligations in Defense of the US: Part 1 Corporate Communications

Author – Galina Datskovsky There is much controversy regarding the obligation of technology companies to aid government in criminal investigations over the past year greatly due to increased threat of terrorism. It has been presented in the press that such tactics are necessary to combat terrorism. On the other side of the debate, technology companies

Five Tips to Better Manage Your Private Conversations in 2016

Author–Mike Koclanes The events and scandals of the past year have further heightened our awareness about privacy issues in our use of the internet. Nonetheless, it did not slow me down from sharing my thoughts and social media posts but I do think more carefully about what tools I use to spread news. This year,

2015—A Look Back

Author–Galina Datskovsky Ph.D., CRM, FAI As I look back on the year, I can’t help but marvel on the incredible ups and downs that it has brought with it. Although there are many to speak of, both personally and professionally for most of us, cyber security has been front and center throughout 2015 and has become

IBM MobileFirst Protect Teams Up with Vaporstream to Deliver Ephemeral Messaging

Author–Mike Koclanes Over 350 Billion text messages are sent each month, many of which contain sensitive personal and corporate information. Secure, encrypted messaging options are the best way to ensure security and compliance with regulations such as HIPAA, FINRA and Sarbanes-Oxley. IBM MobileFirst Protect formally known as MaaS360 has come together with Vaporstream® to address

Managing Risk in a Mobile World – Vaporstream To Deliver Webinar to ACFCS Community – 12/2/15

Author – Kathleen Shepherd One of the most common forms of financial crime is accessing sensitive information through mobile devices. Studies report that up to 40% of devices are not even password protected, so why wouldn’t hackers continue to capitalize on ways to obtain information from smart phones, laptops and tablets? For organizations that have

Private Messaging Technologies and Free Speech

Author–Bill Mahone Your blog in the aftermath of the Paris terrorist attack is very thought provoking. Governmental efforts to prevent U.S. citizens from having private conversations – in the name of national security – can be seen as part of our nation’s ongoing debate over freedom of speech. On university campuses there have been a

Paris Attacks and Encryption Technology: The Debate Continues

Author – Galina Datskovsky, Ph.D., CRM We are seeing much discussion about encryption and encrypted communications in the news in the wake of the Paris attack. The intelligence community did not intercept the communication between the attackers leading up to the attack, and this leads many to believe that encrypted communications must have been used.

Privacy in the Age of the Internet of Things

By Mike Koclanes You may have recently heard about something called the Internet of Things. Or you may not have—according to Forbes, 87% of people have not heard of the Internet of Things. So, what exactly is the Internet of Things (IoT)? Well, it’s just that—it’s things that also happen to be known as Smart

Ephemeral Messaging Protects Privacy in a BYOD Environment

By Mike Koclanes The days of working at a company and receiving a new cell phone on your first day have started to fade away. Market researcher Gartner Inc. predicts that almost four in 10 organizations will rely exclusively on a policy of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) — meaning they will no longer provide

AIIM First in Flight Chapter Meeting – First Class Forum

By Karen Tremblay Last week the AIIM First in Flight North Carolina Chapter kicked off two key events that brought together members focused on raising money for two great charities and focusing on the topic of information governance (IG). The chapter meeting included two events, First in Flight Chapter Annual Charity Golf Tournament and InfoWorld

Three Key Points from the ARMA Live Conference 2015

By Avi Elkoni Last week I attended the ARMA Live Conference in Washington, DC. Despite being the 60th annual ARMA conference, both ARMA and the event remain highly relevant and very well-attended, offering great content not only for Records and Information Management (RIM) practitioners but also for technologists in the field, such as myself. Here

Vaporstream® Industry Experts Are On the Road to ARMA Live 2015

By Kathleen Shepherd Strong Information Governance (IG) practices can help your organization become more competitive and compliant.Every year experts in the area of IG get together to present at one of the most important professional events in October. ARMA Live 2015 is held from October 5-7 in Washington, DC. and offers an impressive agenda of

Security and Privacy are NOT the Same

By Mike Koclanes There’s been a lot of discussion in the press, in blog posts, in government debates and around the proverbial “water cooler” about Internet Security and cyber security. With all the public disclosures of data breaches, it’s no wonder there is an increased focus on securing our data and personal information. All this

Controlling Your Content in a Less Than Private World

By Galina Datskovsky Welcome to the first of what we intend to make a series of exciting and provocative discussions regarding security, privacy, confidentiality and compliance. We take these issues very seriously and want to share our vision with you. At Vaporstream® we all believe: 1. That YOU should be in control of every conversation

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