Plain English Explanation
This question asks if your system automatically locks user accounts after several incorrect password attempts. It's like a safe that stops accepting combinations after too many wrong tries - this prevents hackers from guessing passwords over and over (called a 'brute force attack') by temporarily or permanently disabling the account after a set number of failures.
Business Impact
Account lockout is a fundamental HIPAA security control that prevents password attacks on patient data systems. Without it, attackers can try unlimited password combinations until they break in. Healthcare organizations view this as a basic security requirement - lacking it suggests poor security practices overall and will likely disqualify you from healthcare opportunities.
Common Pitfalls
Companies often implement lockouts that are too aggressive (locking after 2-3 attempts) creating support headaches, or too lenient (10+ attempts) providing insufficient protection. Another mistake is not having a secure unlock process, or failing to alert administrators about lockout events which could indicate an attack in progress.
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Implementation Roadmap
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Question Information
- Category
- HIPAA Compliance
- Question ID
- HIPA-12
- Version
- 4.1.0
- Importance
- Critical
- Weight
- 10/10
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