External Storage of Application Logs

This question asks if your application can send its activity logs (records of who did what and when) to an external storage system separate from the main application. This is like having a security camera that saves its footage to a different location - if someone breaks into your main system, they can't also delete the evidence of what they did.

External log storage is critical for HIPAA compliance because it ensures audit trails can't be tampered with by attackers or malicious insiders. Healthcare organizations need this capability to investigate breaches, prove compliance during audits, and maintain forensic evidence. Without it, you're asking healthcare clients to accept significant compliance risk, likely losing deals to competitors who offer this essential security feature.

A common mistake is claiming external log capability without ensuring logs contain all HIPAA-required information or are transmitted securely. Companies also often overlook the need for logs to be immutable (unchangeable) once stored externally, which is essential for maintaining valid audit trails for compliance investigations.