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ARTICLE · 14 JANUARY 2026

System Hardening, HIPAA, And The Practical Path To Protecting EPHI

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The January 2026 OCR Cybersecurity Newsletter is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights' latest installment in its periodic series translating HIPAA Security Rule expectations...

United StatesPrivacy
Colin Zick
Colin Zick
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The January 2026 OCR Cybersecurity Newsletter is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights' latest installment in its periodic series translating HIPAA Security Rule expectations into practical, operational guidance. This issue focuses on "System Hardening and Protecting ePHI." It matters because OCR is the regulator that enforces HIPAA; its newsletters signal how the agency thinks about reasonable and appropriate safeguards. Following this guidance helps covered entities and business associates reduce breach risk, align controls to the Security Rule, and demonstrate a defensible compliance posture.

System Hardening, HIPAA, and the Practical Path to Protecting ePHI

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