Today, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’s (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced the launch of Phase 2 of its HIPAA Compliance Audit Program. (OCR’s announcement can be accessed at Audit Phase 2 Announcement and further information about Phase 2 can be accessed at Audit Phase 2 Information.) In this phase, OCR will […]
FCC Proposes New Privacy Rules for Internet Service Providers
On March 10, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) proposed new privacy and data security rules for Internet service providers (“ISPs”) that, if passed, would regulate how ISPs collect, use, share, and protect customers’ data. The notice of proposed rulemaking (“NPRM”) that FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler circulated for consideration by the full Commission is previewed […]
A Brief Overview of the Privacy Shield
A one page summary is now available to help U.S. organizations initially evaluate whether the Privacy Shield represents a viable mechanism to legitimize their transfer of personal data from the European union. The summary lists the key features and requirements of the Privacy Shield, some of which were contained in the now-invalidated EU-U.S. Safe Harbor Framework, […]
FTC Announces Study of PCI-DSS Assessment Companies
On Monday, March 7 the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a press release announcing that it had issued Orders to nine Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) companies, which are certified to assess whether or not entities involved in payment card processing, such as merchants, are compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). […]
Administration Seeks to Renegotiate Controversial Cybersecurity Export Control
The Obama administration will reportedly seek to renegotiate a controversial cybersecurity export control rule required to be implemented into U.S. regulations by the Commerce Department under the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies. The Wassenaar Arrangement is based on a multilateral agreement reached by the founding countries in […]