A 2018 report from the U.S. Federal Reserve suggests that up to 40% of U.S. households would not be able to come up with $400 to cover an emergency expense. In March 2019, CNBC published a report suggesting that just 16% of the adult population saves more than 15% of its income despite experts recommending a 10-20% savings just for retirement alone.

Not saving is bad enough when you have to spend $500 to fix the car or replace the washing machine. But what if you find yourself in a courtroom after a car crash? What if you find yourself facing bankruptcy or divorce? You could spend tens of thousands of dollars on legal fees.

Perhaps that’s why a 2018 report from the American Bar Association (ABA) suggests that upwards of 80% of all civil legal needs go unmet. The ABA says that people are going to court without attorneys because they cannot afford legal fees. That is just the tip of the iceberg.

The current legal environment looks bleak for a lot of people. However, technology might be the answer. The creators of the NuLaw legal case management app say that technology is making huge strides toward revolutionizing how law is practiced. They say there are two technologies that could make legal services more accessible without shutting out attorneys.

Automated Contracts

The first technology automates contract writing. Contracts normally follow standard formats that allow attorneys to plug in relevant data and make a few minor adjustments to accommodate individual circumstances. Most contracts are not difficult to write for an experienced attorney. Yet they are time-consuming, hence the cost.

Artificial intelligence can be leveraged to write contracts without any direct human assistance. Contract writing software starts with a standard template, or boilerplate if you will. The client enters necessary information and then sits back and allows the software to do its thing.

In many cases, completed contracts are ready to go right away. In other cases, they have to be reviewed by attorneys for language and accuracy. In either case, contracts are produced more quickly, more efficiently, and without as much time and effort required by attorneys.

Legal Chatbots

Chatbot technology is a second technology that could make legal services more accessible. Think of it in terms of initial consultations. While many attorneys offer free consultations, lots of others do not. And even when initial consultations are free, potential clients can be scared away by fears that they will be roped into paying for something they cannot afford.

A chatbot can be utilized to handle initial consultations at no charge to clients. Chatbots can be programmed to ask specific kinds of questions related to specific kinds of cases. Such directed questions are intended to yield detailed information that helps the software formulate the right advice.

The beauty of chatbot technology is that it is becoming less limited by the day. Thanks to artificial intelligence and deep learning, chatbot programs are gradually reaching a point where they can intelligently steer conversation by themselves. They need less hard programming and fewer static questions because they are able to adapt to answers being provided by clients.

Both technologies discussed in this post can be incorporated into a legal case management app. As such, they could be offered as modules on a law firm’s website or through its client portal. Deploying the technologies would give people access to some legal services without having to actually hire an attorney. Why would attorneys want that? Because opening access provides more leads that could eventually translate to new clients.

 

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are a rapidly growing threat in the modern Internet. As organizations have become more reliant on the Internet for daily business, the potential impacts of losing their web presence have grown. At the same time, the complexity and cost of performing a DDoS attack has decreased dramatically. As a result, hackers can afford to launch attacks against more targets and to sell their services to interested customers.

A new discovery by DDoS attackers has significantly increased the potential impacts of their attacks. A service included in macOS enables an attacker to dramatically increase the volume of the attack that they can create. As a result, organizations are more vulnerable to large-scale DDoS attacks, and the need to deploy anti DDoS protection solutions to protect crucial Internet-facing resources from attack has grown even more pressing.

DDoS Attacks and DDoS Amplification

The Distributed in DDoS refers to the fact that a DDoS attacker uses several different machines when performing an attack against their target. A DoS attack requires overwhelming the target machine in some way. Exceeding their network bandwidth or number of allowable connections on a machine are some of the simplest ways to do this. By using multiple attacking machines, the DDoS attacker ensures that they have the ability to create the volume of traffic necessary to overwhelm their target, which may have multiple load-balanced machines or other defenses in place.

Massive DDoS attacks have become easier to perform in recent years due to the changing landscape of the Internet. In the past, the Internet was primarily composed of personal workstations and servers, which could be co-opted into a botnet to be used in an attack but also often were protected with cybersecurity defenses.

The modern Internet is increasingly composed of Internet-connected devices like thermostats and light bulbs, which have the processing power and network connections necessary to participate in DDoS attacks but don’t enjoy the same level of cybersecurity protection and often contain significant and easily-exploitable vulnerabilities. The combination of easily exploitable Internet of Things (IoT) devices and cheap cloud computing makes large-scale DDoS attacks cheaper and easier to perform, with prices below $7 per hour.

To make things worse, DDoS attackers are finding services that can be used as a DDoS amplifier. A DDoS amplifier allows the attacker to spoof the source address of traffic to it, so that the attacker can send a message and have a response sent to the victim. An effective DDoS amplifier has responses that are significantly larger than requests, so that the attacker can ensure that the victim receives more traffic than the attacker sends.

An example of a commonly used DDoS amplifier is the DNS protocol, which translates domain names (like google.com) into IP addresses (like 127.0.0.1). Since a DNS response includes all of the data included in the request plus the actual answer, sending a DNS request while masquerading as someone else ensures that the victim receives and must process more data than the attacker sends.

macOS and DDoS

The search for effective DDoS amplifiers has led attackers to look in a variety of different places. One of these is the macOS operating system.

Most operating systems have a remote desktop service. On Apple machines it is called the Apple Remote Desktop (ARD). Machines running macOS and with ARD running are also running a service called the Apple Remote Management Service (ARMS). ARMS runs on port 3283 and listens for incoming commands that it should execute on the machine. ARMS is of interest to DDoS attackers since it is a potentially huge DDoS amplifier. Most services used for DDoS attacks have an amplification factor of 5-10, meaning that they can increase the volume of traffic up to 5-10x. ARMS’s amplification factor is 35.5, significantly larger than that of services commonly used in other attacks.

The massive potential of ARMS for DDoS has been noticed and exploited by attackers. In order to use ARMS in an attack, the ARMS service must be accessible to the Internet. Searches on Shodan, a search engine for finding machines with certain ports open, have shown that almost 40,000 macOS systems are exposing ARMS to the Internet. Early attacks exploiting this functionality have reached peak traffic levels of 70 Gbps.

Protecting Against DDoS Attacks

The amplification factor of the ARMS protocol and the number of machines that can be employed in attacks make it a significant threat to the functionality and accessibility of any organization’s web-facing systems. Exploitation of this protocol is only in its early stages and may become more common over time, increasing the number and size of DDoS attacks.

One step that owners of macOS systems can take to help protect against this threat is to ensure that their computers cannot be used in attacks. Any machine with a remote desktop service open should either be behind a firewall or should be using a VPN or IP whitelisting to limit access to authorized users.

However, organizations cannot rely on owners of the exploitable machines to fix the problem. While the threat of macOS-enabled DDoS ones is a significant one, it is not the only way that an attacker can increase the power of DDoS attacks. In the modern threat landscape, deploying an effective DDoS protection solution is a fundamental step in protecting an organization’s Internet presence.

 

Preparing the slides for your presentation isn’t easy. You need to come up with interesting and relevant ideas. These slides serve as a guide to everyone else in the room who can’t follow what you’re talking about. The problem is that since you have lots of ideas, you want to shove them into the presentation. As a result, you use a really small font and have several pages for the presentation. No one will want to see what you’re presenting if you do it that way. You need to find a way to reduce the slides and make them more visible using larger fonts.

Use keywords

You’re going to explain the details anyway. There’s no point in using long sentences. Keywords and phrases will suffice. You can also use graphs, charts and models. People will easily understand what you’re talking about if you present ideas in that manner. If the words are too short and difficult to understand, you can always ask the people in the room if there’s anything they need you to clarify.

Use pictures

Sometimes, you can sum up long words using one picture. Everything you want to say is already in one photo. Find the right image that represents all the details in your presentation. These images could also capture people’s attention. As long as the picture is interesting and relevant, it’s good enough.

Use a QR code

If there’s any detail that you can’t cut, you can ask people to read further information later. Once the presentation is over, they can look at that link as a reference to have deeper knowledge about the topic. You can’t make them type the entire link, so a QR code will help. The audience will take a photo of the code and open the link on their phone’s browser.

Select the most important details

You have to determine the level of importance of each idea that you want to present. You can write them on a piece of paper and rank the ideas. From what you wrote, you can determine which ones you think will be necessary to show and which ones you can just mention while you speak. Assume the role of an audience when deciding.

Give handouts

When you can’t sum up the information and you have a hard time deciding which ideas to prioritise, you can give handouts. Those who want to know the details about what you said but didn’t include in the slides can read the entire stack of paper that you give.

Once you do all these things, you can finally reduce the slides and make them easier to understand. Before you start your speech, make sure that the room is ready. Check if the projector is working; otherwise, you won’t be able to show your slides. It also helps to invest in a projector wall mount for the office if you regularly present there. You don’t want to experience technical glitches a few minutes before your presentation.

 

 

Cloud gaming is hardly a new phenomenon, but it is certainly gaining steam among hardcore gamers. In fact, some say that the cloud is slowly taking over the gaming world – that remains to be seen. What we do know is that almost every app and streaming service you use is already hosted in the cloud. So, it just seems a logical progression to host your favorite games and gaming brands in the cloud. Moreover, with the continued adoption of 5G – you can expect even more advancements and capabilities with cloud gaming. Keep reading to learn more.

The world of gaming has changed – drastically

Years ago, gamers played with various consoles and used cartridges. Next, cartridges were replaced with discs. And, the introduction of handheld gaming devices made it onto the scene. Today, almost every console on the market also offers a lineup of digital games and cloud gaming.

Of course, consoles still offer more variety, options, and capabilities, but that could change in the near future. The thing about cloud gaming is it offers both convenience and speed. You don’t have to fiddle with a console or managing a physical stockpile of games.

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You can still use your favorite accessories

The reason why cloud gaming has become so attractive, for both new and old gamers, is because you can access thousands of titles in under a minute. If you think about it, Netflix has really revolutionized the world of streaming services where you can access thousands of movie and TV titles for an affordable monthly fee. The same is true of cloud gaming. As a result, you don’t have to worry about which console to buy or where to store – and find the money for – a vast catalogue of games.

And, cloud gaming is accessory-agnostic. For example, if you’re going to participate in a multiplayer game then you will definitely need a headset. You have to communicate with the other players, this is a non-negotiable. In addition, you want a headset that is both comfortable and long-lasting. Thankfully, Turtle Beach has a well-honed list of the best PC gaming headsets. You can certainly find the right one for you within that list.

Also, don’t forget your gaming chair and game board. But, most importantly, make sure you wear bluelight blocking glasses so that your eyes can comfortably endure hours of thrilling play.

Say goodbye to hardware and console limitations

With cloud gaming, long gone are the days when you couldn’t play the latest game without the right graphics card or the right console. Yet, in the cloud, technology is available which compresses video, and decreases bandwidth costs. Not to mention, you are not stuck with just one console. Why? Because cloud gaming lets you use the device of your choice.

Final thought

The future is here, and it’s in the cloud. Does it mean physical consoles will be gone forever? Not just yet, but it does mean you have so many options as a gamer. Really, the future’s so bright, it’s probably time to put on your shades.

 

Search engine optimization (SEO) refers to strategies for increasing a website’s traffic by improving the website’s visibility and ranking on search engine results pages.

One of the main goals of SEO is to increase the quality and quantity of web traffic. Successful optimization tactics ensure that users are not linked to websites that do not relate to their interests and searches, but are instead drawn to sites that provide engaging and relevant web content.

Some SEO practices include link building to high authority publications, using local business listings and citation directories, and creating onsite content. So when can you expect to start seeing results?

Average time frames for SEO

When business owners make any changes that hopefully improve the way they do business and run their websites, they may be curious to know how much of an impact the improvements are having on their business almost right away.

Generally, the results and success of search engine optimization can be anticipated and predicted, but there is no one-size-fit all time frame for success that can be placed on SEO practices. This is mainly because there is great variation in businesses and how they operate their websites and implement SEO methods.

Typically, it takes a few months for businesses to begin reaping the benefits of optimizing their websites. Some businesses may begin noticing that SEO is working after two or three months, while others may not begin seeing any measurable success until anywhere between, approximately four to six months after incorporating SEO practices into their business.

Using outside SEO services like linkgraph.io, however, enables businesses to increase their web traffic and search ranking position within a month in most cases. So it may be worth outsourcing a dedicated team of SEO experts. Visit Adbuz, an experienced company offers a 360-degree approach to digital marketing.

Things to remember when optimizing a website

Business owners should be cognizant of which SEO methods they’ve chosen to undertake and the fact that it may take time for some methods to be properly implemented and go into effect.

Patience is not only a virtue; it is a trait that’s necessary to have in the business world. In addition to exercising patience when negotiating business deals, handling employee relations, and communicating, business owners should exercise patience when monitoring the internet and web traffic statistics. This helps them determine how well their SEO methods are working after they’ve been implemented for a certain amount of time.

Business owners should be patient and double check that they properly used the optimization practices while they wait to see results. Even during a time when their website has yet to rank first or rank highly on search results pages, business owners should still continue to focus on and put effort into link building, upgrading web content, keeping the information on websites recent and up to date, and fixing any technical issues, glitches, and bugs.

Business owners who are curious about how long SEO takes and want to measure success, can monitor their website traffic. Here, they can take note of any changes in website traffic as they continue working on creating engaging content.

The consistency, patience, and time put into optimizing a website is what makes SEO successful and invaluable for companies. Many factors go into how well SEO tactics will work for a website, such as how old or new a website is, and how little or how much content is featured on a website. Business owners have to make sure their websites have been decluttered and rid of irrelevant or outdated information before SEO results can be seen.

Additionally, when positive results of SEO are garnered, business owners should not stop there. Instead, they should continuously implement optimization practices.

 

New York CyberWeek 2019 is right around the corner and you are not going to want to miss this comprehensive event. Bringing together the movers and shakers in the cybersecurity industry, this event features workshops, hackathons, networking parties, roundtables, and more.

Best of all, this conference puts you right in the heart of the nation’s most vibrant and energetic city, making it the perfect way to combine business with pleasure. Here is all that you need to know about making the most out of the upcoming CyberWeek event.

CYBERWEEK 2019 DETAILS

With over 60 events, you will be sure to find something valuable at the CyberWeek 2019. This year’s event is scheduled for September 16–20 and will take place across various locations all over the New York City area, including Jersey City. Organizers estimate that attendance will be great, with more than 6,500 attendees and 150 Fortune 500 companies represented. It’s the premier event to learn, collaborate, and network with smart, influential people in the sphere of cybersecurity.

You can sign up to attend as an individual or as a team with your colleagues. The complimentary pass will enable you to attend a variety of educational events, parties, and workshops designed to inform and inspire. Industry leaders are also encouraged to register their own event to host.

LODGING ACCOMMODATIONS

You are going to need a comfortable place to recharge after your day of learning and connecting at CyberWeek. One “hack” for attending the conference is to check out hotels in Jersey City, which provide the perfect balance of convenient access to the events of the conference and a respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The Hyatt House Jersey City delivers modern guest rooms with dedicated workspaces ideal for catching up on the day’s events. The free breakfast will provide the fuel needed to power through the day. The onsite Terrace Lounge or RoofTop at Exchange Place provides sweeping views of the New York City skyline as you wind down from your day at CyberWeek.

Candlewood Suites Jersey City – Harborside Extended Stay Hotel is another good choice. Since the event runs over the course of a week, and you may want some buffer days, an extended stay hotel can be a good choice. This hotel is used to accommodating larger groups, as well, making it a good option if you’re traveling with your team.

SEE THE CITY

The city that never sleeps is the perfect backdrop for the CyberWeek event. While in the city, be sure to visit one of the many museums that call the area home. Art aficionados will delight in the vast collection at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, located in Central Park on the Upper East Side. No trip to Manhattan is complete without taking in a Broadway show. Get your colleagues together for a classic New York evening of fun with dinner and a show.

LET’S EAT!

You would be remiss to visit the New York City area and not go out of your way to sample some of the area’s best cuisine. Be sure to start your culinary adventure with a piece of New York-style pizza. You can find a slice on nearly every corner of Manhattan. There is a myriad of world-class restaurants right at your doorstep in Manhattan, Jersey City, and the surrounding areas.

While in Manhattan, be sure to indulge in a luxurious meal at one of the city’s premier steakhouses. Good choices include Gallaghers Steak House in Midtown or Peter Luger in Brooklyn.

If you’re dining in Jersey City, be sure to check out the stunning view of the Manhattan skyline at the Liberty House. This upscale restaurant features a menu of seasonal and sustainable food such as the mouthwatering raw bar, pan-seared striped bass, butternut squash and goat cheese tortellini, grilled filet mignon, and more.

How much taurine does my dog need? Is it really necessary? What does taurine do? What happens if they doesn’t get enough? The following article addresses common questions about taurine and dog health.

There’s been a lot of discussion about how taurine (and the lack of it) can impact the health of dogs, but is this a legitimate health concern, or a marketing strategy of the supplement industry?

Well – it’s certainly a legitimate concern for many pet owners. While most dogs can synthesize taurine from other nutrients that are legally required to be included in commercial pet foods, a subset of dog breeds have a genetic defect that prevents them from producing taurine on their own. Here’s what you need to know about taurine and your dog.

What is taurine?

Taurine is an amino acid – a protein building block that supports healthy functioning of the heart, muscles, brain, and eyes.

Is taurine a necessary nutrient for dogs?

Taurine is essential – long-term taurine deficiency can lead to major health problems. However, you may not have to administer taurine to your dog. Most dogs can produce sufficient amounts of taurine on their own, but certain breeds need to be given taurine regularly. There are also some inherited medical conditions, such as cystinuria, that prevent taurine synthesis. However, if your dog is healthy and isn’t taurine deficient, giving them more taurine won’t benefit them, though it isn’t harmful

Dogs breeds that are known to suffer from taurine deficiency include:

• Golden retriever
• Labrador retriever
• American cocker spaniel
• Saint Bernard
• Great Dane
• English setters

What if my dog doesn’t get enough taurine?

Long-term taurine deficiency can have an adverse effect on dog health and can lead to serious conditions such as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). If you have a breed of dog that may be vulnerable to taurine deficiency, consult your vet to see if taurine supplementation is a recommended option. Zignature dog food taurine content is naturally high enough to meet most dogs’ nutritional requirements, but check with your vet before making any changes to your dog’s diet program.

To read more on topics like this, check out the technology category.

Original adventure

There are certain classics that will never leave the shelves loaded with your favourite games – it could be the first open-world game you’ve played or that fighting game in which you’ve attained the supreme champion’s title. Either way, the fact that there are titles that will stay with us for a long while remains ever strong. And it’s likely they have been here for a while already. So, most would probably agree that, in this day and age, there’s no greater joy than to see your beloved game revived. The new Zelda game is exactly in such a position.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening was first released in 1993, serving as the fourth title in the long-lasting series. It didn’t present many innovations or industry-breaking elements, but it was the very first game where Link could jump! Link’s Awakening ended up being re-released in a coloured format in 1998. And now, a decade later, the beloved instalment is still as relevant as it was decades ago. There’s plenty of excitement surrounding the new Zelda game and for a good reason.

Similarities

The adventure focuses entirely on a closed-off island outside of Hylure, that in itself is unusual for Zelda’s series. Not only that, but the only familiar character is Link, everyone else stepped into the forefront for the first time ever. And this entire strange adventure is wrapped in a great variety of cameos and inside jokes. Many of the enemies in this game will sure be known to the fans of Super Mario series. Stomping Goombas, or taking Chain Chomp for a walk have become an important part of Link’s Awakening. And the new Zelda game promises much of the same.

The old enemies return in the newer format with significantly polished graphics, but the top-down view will remain, reminiscent of the old Game Boy title. Of course, in this day and age, pixelated people are not very attractive, and thus the game’s art style is very similar to the Wind Waker, with its quirky design and charming look. The remake gives players the kind of vibrancy they desired ever since the release of the coloured version of the old Game Boy.

And you should expect the inside jokes to remain the same as they were in the good ol’ days! Nintendo has confirmed the new Zelda game will feature the return of Super Mario enemies (so you can take the scarily faithful BowWow out into the field again!). Keeping close to its roots, the Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening will surely satisfy newcomers to the series, as well as those who want to visit Koholint Island once again, just in a new format.

Differences

Many would argue that releasing the game with just a graphics overhaul would be somewhat boring, and so, Nintendo intends to spice things up a bit. Following the success of Mario Maker – the game that gave users both freedom and creative outlet, the new Zelda game will feature an element of dungeon building.

This is probably the greatest addition to the title, as none of the previous entries in the series have this component. Basically, the player will earn separate dungeon rooms as rewards from quests or battles, and then will be able to connect them to form one singular dungeon. This should keep repetition out of the game, as no two created dungeons will be the same unless the player wants that!

Another important detail is the implementation of the amiibo figurines (the ones related to the new Zelda game). As is customary for Nintendo, the figurines are used as outer tools to enhance the gameplay even further. They can unlock items or actions, offer certain weapons, armour or anything else that might help the player. Such bonus implementation is completely optional, however, the fact that the amiibo collection can help in building a dream dungeon is certainly worth to consider.

Link’s worth it

No matter how much time has passed, the excitement that the Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening has caused amongst the gamers elevated the title to the entirely unexplored heights. New Zelda game and its reception serve as a proof that while Breath of the Wild (and it’s announced sequel) are very appreciated by the fans, the industry will continue on improving the older versions of the legendary titles too. Link’s Awakening retains its quirky style that endeared the older release, and at the same time brings it up to the standard of the modern days.

Should the game succeed (and by the reaction at E3 conference, it will), it could open the doors for more remakes of the beloved classics – there is a clear market for it. Additionally, the new Zelda game is welcoming all types of players, with additions and elements that promises exciting gameplay to any Link’s fan. It is not the free-roaming adventure of the latest released Zelda title, but there is a certain charm when one is able to simply relax and admire the adorable enemies with giant spears trying to skewer you with a huge egg in the background. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is a bright and brilliant carefree adventure for everyone, and you should definitely try it.

To read more on topics like this, check out the technology category.

Marketers and businesses are constantly facing new challenges as the marketing world continues to evolve at a rapid pace. If your marketing team fails to stay up to date with the latest trends and technologies, you’ll likely fall behind your competitors. Educating your team members with online software and apps is an effective and efficient way to keep their knowledge and skills current so they can continually produce great results despite changing times. Discover the best online software and apps for training your marketing team.

Web-Based Training

Web-based training is a form of training conducted online via an app or a website. It’s similar to classroom-style training in many ways. It displays visual content on a screen that supports the voiceover of a lecturer and provides resources such as reading materials and videos to accompany coursework.

Web-based training courses allow your team members to go through interactive training presentations independently and learn at their own pace. Training materials are standardized, meaning all trainees follow the same program. You can update these materials regularly, making it easy to keep the training current with changes in the industry. Another benefit of implementing a web-based training program is it usually comes with software that enables you to track each trainee’s progress.

Webinars

A webinar is an online event broadcast exclusively to a certain group of individuals who access it through their computers or mobile devices. It can be any event ranging from a virtual seminar to an online meeting, but it’s also a common method for conducting employee training.

Webinar training consists of visual and audio components. Participants log in to receive live audio training and visual materials that appear on their computer screens. This type of display is similar to a PowerPoint presentation and allows online interactivity. You can also hold a Q&A session at the end of a webinar.

Video Conferencing

Video conferencing is probably the online training method that’s most similar to classroom-style training. In a video conferencing session, the trainer delivers real-time instructions from one location, while the trainees are scattered across several locations and networked to the central location. Usually, the participants can ask the trainer questions via live video chat.

Video conferencing is an effective training method because it allows the instructor to know whether the trainees are engaged in the learning activities. It’s one of the most preferred ways to conduct online lectures and demonstrations.

Document Collaboration

Document collaboration is an online tool that enables multiple people to work together on a single document. It requires all participants to be connected on the same network. This is a great way for trainers to show trainees how to write reports and technical documents.

Using these online tools to educate your marketing team can help you save time and money while delivering flexible, effective training. It’s especially important to adopt online training if you’re managing a marketing team with members in different locations across the country or the world.

To read more on topics like this, check out the technology category.

The technological revolution of this century has provided stale industries with an extraordinary amount of innovation. In healthcare, patients can reserve a doctor’s appointment or manage their prescriptions with the ease of a smartphone, but this easy access comes with a cost.

Like many highly secure industries that existed before the technological boom, the healthcare industry is struggling to keep up with advanced forms of cyber attacks.

This is extremely dangerous for both patients and professionals alike. Without proper cybersecurity, patients’ medical data can be stolen and sold on the black market, and practice can incur thousands of dollars in fines from HIPAA(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) noncompliance penalties.

The healthcare industry is now making moves to incorporate blockchain into its cybersecurity.

Blockchain, most commonly associated with cryptocurrency, is a type of secure, public ledger that connects digital records, called blocks, to other blocks. These blocks are highly encrypted, time-stamped and continuous updated with data from transactions.

Here are 5 ways the industry can use blockchain technology to support their cybersecurity as well as their patients, operations, and personnel

Smart Contracts

A major benefit to blockchain technology is its use of smart contracts. A smart contract eliminates middlemen from negotiations by digitally facilitating, verifying, or enforcing the terms of a contract.

The smart contract works on an if-then premise. An example is a simple expiration date: once this date arrives, then the smart contract will alert all parties of the expiration and terminate the contract itself.

In healthcare, this means that health organizations and insurance providers can automate payment processes using an artificial third party.

Smart contracts are transparent to all parties, so patients could also use them to easily switch hospitals without needing to fill out forms for their prior hospital – the physicians would know just by viewing the contract.

Data Compilation

Pharma gathers data that are stored in silos from many different sources. This process of organization in time-consuming and inefficient for data analytics in healthcare.

Using blockchain could help healthcare companies with their large data analytics, especially when the data comes from several departments.

Patients use apps that gather medical data and transfer it to other devices and medical providers, which is not always kept safe.

When their information is not kept secure in one location, it becomes easier for their data to be given to the wrong people. If insurance providers get their hands on private medical information, the cost of health coverage can unjustly fluctuate.

Encryption is one of the most important factors for effective cybersecurity in healthcare, and with blockchain’s extensive data encryption, the safety and privacy of a patient’s information are guaranteed.

Patients can know where their data is being transferred to and who has a right to view it, making sure that their data is transferred to the appropriate recipients.

Clinical Trials

There is a lot of manual work needed to scout out appropriate patients for clinical trials. The amount of paperwork is enormous, and it’s very likely that perfectly suitable candidates get regularly overlooked.

With blockchain, researchers can easily search for the qualifications needed to acquire potential candidates without having to worry about receiving misinformation.

The clinical studies data can be kept private and organized using blockchain, which is necessary for the HIPAA compliances that Pharma companies must adhere to.

Since all records entered in blockchain have to be verified and each patients’ data gets a unique ID, information cannot be duplicated by accident which wastes time and manpower.

Companies and organizations can also use blockchain for keeping financial records and other bookkeeping needs.

Doctor’s Access and Security

Blockchain can help to transfer secured data between devices for health service providers.

Instead of patients having the onus of transferring paper records from physician to physician, blockchain can allow easy and instant access to medical records between medical professionals.

The US Department of Health and Human Services found that instead of using a localized server or paper documents, it’s actually safer to store patient’s information in a HIPAA compliant cloud server.

Not only does blockchain improve patients’ privacy, but the ability for professionals to easily access patients’ records actually improves diagnosis and patient care, as well.

Transparency with blockchain also comes into play here, as anyone with access to the records can see changes that were made which increases overall understanding of patients’ health.

Patient’s Access and Security

The last and certainly not least useful feature of blockchain in healthcare is the ability for patients to access their own medical records.

In fact, the way that providers would even have access to a patients’ records is because the patients would verify who has access and who doesn’t.

This gives the patients more control of their own medical records. They have the ability to access them at any time or even sell them to healthcare providers, researchers, and insurers.

Cybersecurity threats and data breaches introduce the possibility of medical identity theft, where hackers can steal a person’s medical information, or even their social security number, and sell it on the black market.

When patients use blockchain, they are given the ability to take what hackers want and safely make their own profits on their own terms.

The list above shows just a snippet of the benefits that blockchain technology has for the healthcare industry, especially as the world becomes increasingly digitized.

The healthcare industry is finding that its cybersecurity is slipping through the cracks, and HIPAA Journal reports that each month of 2018, there were about 30 healthcare data breaches reported, and that number has increased to an average of 37 per month in 2019

Blockchain technology is an all-encompassing solution to the security, research, and access problems that patients and professionals face. It allows clinical researchers and medical professionals to organize their data with transparency and accuracy.

This technology is also appealing to patients, as the ability to access and share their medical data as they please results in better diagnosis and possible monetization.

Overall, blockchain solutions are effective in the healthcare industry and their usage is growing with time. It is important for healthcare companies to get involved with this growing trend in order to operate efficiently.

This article was written by Julian Gnatenco @ JGBilling a medical coding company