Is Excel 2010 Worbook Protection by Encryption HIPAA Compliant?

Asked By ivonne Lara 0 points N/A Posted on - 02/11/2013

Hi,

Is it HIPPA compliant to contain E-PHI in an Excel file if it has been encrypted and password protected using the "Protect Workbook' option?

Any suggestion will be welcomed.

Thanks.

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Answered By Steele Ney 0 points N/A #158700

Is Excel 2010 Worbook Protection by Encryption HIPAA Compliant?

Hi Ivonne,

As we all know the policy on Security of Electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI) wherein HIPPA has primary responsibilities in protecting privacy and security of personal health information including the internet, media or electronic devices to which an institution or organizations are inputting the personal information.

In this accountability Excel File is included to the watch lists for privacy protection but it doesn't necessarily means all encrypted files.

Steele Ney

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• Posted on - 02/12/2013
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Answered By Jonas Dill 0 points N/A #158701

Is Excel 2010 Worbook Protection by Encryption HIPAA Compliant?

HIPPA states that not only must the data be password protected, but each segment of the personally identifiable information must be encrypted and any mode of communication (any wire or AP) that the information travels along must also be encrypted, including any storage space where the information is kept, as well as critically limiting the people with access to it (hence the password protection).

Unfortunately it borrows a lot from another very broken law the PCIDSS (and now it's new iteration 2.0) Short answer to your question – Anything using less than AES256 with a minimum 10bit variance generated password doesn't comply with the law.

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• Posted on - 11/21/2013
• Question Category: MS Excel