Healthcare Breach Prediction 2014: 'A Perfect Storm'

Get ready, because data breaches are expected to rise in 2014, especially in the healthcare industry. New security threats and regulations that call for more transparency will be partly to blame.

A new report from Experian Data Breach Resolution says healthcare will face “a perfect storm” for breaches in 2014. The Affordable Care Act, with its increased activity, as well as more people signing up for health insurance will only make the target that much larger. Experian predicts the opening of a floodgate for healthcare breaches in 2014.

The time is right to beef up security precautions, warns Michael Bruemmer, vice president of Experian.

More and more organizations have learned how to identify and respond to security incidents, and this has lowered the cost per record of a data breach. This trend is expected to continue, and that’s good news, says Bruemmer. But it doesn’t mean you should let down your guard. If you’ve had one incident, don’t think you’re in the clear. Count on having another, Bruemmer says.