General Employee Benefits
IRS and OCR Publish Cybersecurity Tips Applicable to Plan
Sponsors
The Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") and the
Department of Health and Human Services' ("HHS")
Office for Civil Rights ("OCR") have issued newsletters
highlighting various items for plan sponsors to consider when
securing confidential electronic information. The IRS newsletter
focuses on steps plan sponsors can take to limit access to
information, such as granting access only to select employees,
requiring strong passwords, locking computer screens during periods
of inactivity, securing portable devices, and terminating access
for employees who no longer need access. The IRS newsletter also
emphasizes training employees on basic security principles,
reminding employees of written policies, and disciplining employees
for violations. The OCR newsletter reiterates many of the points
raised in the IRS newsletter, but also cites security standards
established under the Health
