Welcome to 2021!

Welcome to 2021You’re probably as relieved as the rest of us to say goodbye to 2020. Last year was unprecedented in countless ways. Yet some of the problems that plagued us in 2020 know no time limit or calendar, so those challenges persist. Much like 2020 saw a relentless flow of cyberattacks, 2021 will likely set another record.

While many reasons have been given for the 350% spike in cyberattacks in 2020, one obvious reason tends to be overlooked – they’re working. Quite clearly all of these attacks would wane if they weren’t so effective. Let’s discuss three steps you should take now to prepare and protect yourself for 2021.

First and foremost, the overwhelming number of cyber attacks (estimated to be 91%) is initiated through phishing emails. Since these attacks can be thwarted by attentive employees, the most important thing you can do for your organization for 2021 is to increase staff training and awareness of cybersecurity issues. If your mindset is once a year training is sufficient, we encourage you to reconsider.

The second recommendation to make your organization more cyber secure in 2021 is to conduct vulnerability and penetration testing against your corporate network. These tests are the best way to identify weaknesses in your current security and to highlight the differences between what you believe is happening and what actually is happening. Bridging this chasm is critical to creating a safer cyber environment.

Third, invest in better security technology. If you haven’t done so yet, consider upgrading your firewall to one that can run antivirus and antimalware at the perimeter of your network, catching threats before they can access your internal network. Another important step and this one is free, is to review your current software update policies and practices and make sure these policies are being run on each device. Failing to keep a device updated is not only a HIPAA violation, but it’s also a significant threat vector. 

While no one step can guarantee your security, a holistic and proactive approach to your cybersecurity will reduce the likelihood of experiencing an effective attack. Obviously, there’s much more than you can and should do. In fact, the importance of this list isn’t the contents, but rather the recognition that you have to do more than what you used to do to say cyber safe. As always, Acentec and HIPAA Security Suite are here to help with all of your HIPAA compliance and cybersecurity needs.

Let’s make 2021 a prosperous and cyber safe year for you and your organization. 

Think before you click.


If you have any questions or if you are concerned about your organization’s cybersecurity, give us a call at (800) 970-0402. We’ll be happy to help.


For more HIPAA information, download our ebook – The Ultimate HIPAA Compliance Handbook.

The HIPAA Security Rule requires the implementation of a security awareness and training program for all members of its workforce (including management). Have your team sign up for weekly HIPAA Security Reminder to help stay compliant.