4 ms·

Don't do your medical consultations over insecure channels.

facetube 11y ago
The most insecure channel is likely the insurance company that's retains your medical records (sorry, "billing data") indefinitely. I'm three for three on past health insurers getting hacked and disclosing everything, and have more worthless third-party "credit protection" settlements than I could possibly use (just enter your SSN!).
nitrogen 11y ago
I came to post the same thing. I would want an actually secure line (ZRTP, or similar) to be used for medical communication.
pkaye 11y ago
What is the worst that will happen?
- chronic32 11y ago
  It's funny that people are okay if their credit card gets stolen but if someone finds out you have high cholesterol, all hell breaks loose.
bphogan 11y ago
Of course, I'd like to see secure communications be the norm. So I'm not saying you're wrong. I am just saying that I'm not worried too much about this. Let's look at the secure channels when I visit the clinic. Like the secure channel at the office where I physically go in and the doctor discusses medical stuff with me and the door wide open? Or where even when the door is closed I can hear his consultation with the people in the next room? That's gotta be some violation. Or the secure channel where the receptionist uses a 25 year old computer system to enter my SSN and scan my insurance card? A credit card number is worth next to nothing. A medical ID number is worth a lot more. And considering all the break-ins recently... Or the secure channel where I hear all sorts of things as a visitor at a hospital? They'd openly discuss my mom's cancer treatments in the hallway where everyone could hear. Or the secure channel where I have to provide a doctor's note to my supervisor because otherwise it's unexcused. And now HR knows I was at the doctor. And if I have lots of excuses, I might lose my job. Not the kind of security you're talking about, but it's a different kind of security. :) Secure channel or not, if someone wants to get information on me, they're gonna. Actually, I'm now quite depressed and I think I want to have a quick nap. :(
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
yrro 11y ago
Microsoft may already have access to your medical data by other means.
Bjartr 11y ago
That said, if you need medical consultation, get it, through whatever means are available to you. If I were in a financial tight spot and the options are "wait for it to be bad enough for insurance to cover it" and "get early care to prevent it from ever getting that bad, but over an insecure channel" I would personally choose the latter. YMMV
nadams 11y ago
> Don't do your medical consultations over insecure channels. It's not any more insecure as the last dentist office I went to (and no longer go to). They had the username and password for the system written on a sticky note next to the computer. Let's just say I'm more concerned about doctors who have real offices leaking my data than some guy on skype. The sad part after working in IT for a couple of years - I would not be surprised at all if I could audit some medical offices and find the credentials-on-sticky-note or computers-never-locked security issues.
SilasX 11y ago
Like a phone call? (I know, I know, "not like they do anything useful for you that way in the first place", but you get the point.)

The most insecure channel is likely the insurance company that's retains your medical records (sorry, "billing data") indefinitely. I'm three for three on past health insurers getting hacked and disclosing everything, and have more worthless third-party "credit protection" settlements than I could possibly use (just enter your SSN!).

nitrogen 11y ago

I came to post the same thing. I would want an actually secure line (ZRTP, or similar) to be used for medical communication.

pkaye 11y ago

What is the worst that will happen?

chronic32 11y ago
It's funny that people are okay if their credit card gets stolen but if someone finds out you have high cholesterol, all hell breaks loose.

bphogan 11y ago

Of course, I'd like to see secure communications be the norm. So I'm not saying you're wrong. I am just saying that I'm not worried too much about this. Let's look at the secure channels when I visit the clinic. Like the secure channel at the office where I physically go in and the doctor discusses medical stuff with me and the door wide open? Or where even when the door is closed I can hear his consultation with the people in the next room? That's gotta be some violation. Or the secure channel where the receptionist uses a 25 year old computer system to enter my SSN and scan my insurance card? A credit card number is worth next to nothing. A medical ID number is worth a lot more. And considering all the break-ins recently... Or the secure channel where I hear all sorts of things as a visitor at a hospital? They'd openly discuss my mom's cancer treatments in the hallway where everyone could hear. Or the secure channel where I have to provide a doctor's note to my supervisor because otherwise it's unexcused. And now HR knows I was at the doctor. And if I have lots of excuses, I might lose my job. Not the kind of security you're talking about, but it's a different kind of security. :) Secure channel or not, if someone wants to get information on me, they're gonna. Actually, I'm now quite depressed and I think I want to have a quick nap. :(

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]

yrro 11y ago

Microsoft may already have access to your medical data by other means.

Bjartr 11y ago

That said, if you need medical consultation, get it, through whatever means are available to you. If I were in a financial tight spot and the options are "wait for it to be bad enough for insurance to cover it" and "get early care to prevent it from ever getting that bad, but over an insecure channel" I would personally choose the latter. YMMV

nadams 11y ago

> Don't do your medical consultations over insecure channels. It's not any more insecure as the last dentist office I went to (and no longer go to). They had the username and password for the system written on a sticky note next to the computer. Let's just say I'm more concerned about doctors who have real offices leaking my data than some guy on skype. The sad part after working in IT for a couple of years - I would not be surprised at all if I could audit some medical offices and find the credentials-on-sticky-note or computers-never-locked security issues.

SilasX 11y ago

Like a phone call? (I know, I know, "not like they do anything useful for you that way in the first place", but you get the point.)