title: Cybersecurity in radiology: Access of public hot spots and public Wi-Fi and prevention of cybercrimes and HIPAA violations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this article is to review the steps that can be taken to ensure secure transfer of information over public and home networks, given the increasing utilization of mobile devices in radiology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the rapid technologic developments in radiology, knowledge of various technical aspects is crucial for any practicing radiologist. Utilization of mobile devices, such as laptops, tablets, and even cellular phones, for reading radiologic studies has become increasingly prevalent. With such usage comes a need to ensure that both the user's and the patient's private information is protected. There are several steps that can be taken to protect sensitive information while using public networks. These steps include being diligent in reviewing the networks to which one connects, ensuring encrypted connections to web-sites, using strong passwords, and using a virtual private network and a firewall. As the role of information technology in modern radiology practice becomes more critical, these safety mechanisms must be addressed when viewing studies on any mobile device.
authors.affiliation: 1 All authors: Department of Radiology, Westchester Medical Center, 100 Woods Rd, Valhalla, NY 10595.
authors.forename: Perry
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gerard
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kapadia
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Acharya
authors.forename: Patricia T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Zvi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lefkovitz
mesh_terms: D040421:Cell Phone; D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D016494:Computer Security; D020408:Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008838:Microcomputers; D011871:Radiology; D011873:Radiology Information Systems; D014481:United States; D059015:Wireless Technology