Web Application Security (PDF)

Essay from the year 2011 in the subject Business economics - Information Management, grade: B, The University of Chicago, language: English, abstract: As the world continues to enjoy the reliability of web-based applications, security of such applications is becoming an increasingly vital concern. Currently, virtually all sectors are implementing some form of internet-based programs. The World Wide Web has significantly led to desirable expansion in business, healthcare, government and social services (Lee, Shieh & Tygar, 2005, p.184). However, the number of internet attacks has equally increased in the recent past. Hackers have become more adept in writing malicious codes to counter the conventional software codes developed by software vendors. The emergence of various types of vulnerabilities and generation of malicious codes on the internet platform has affected service provision in many sectors. The healthcare field is a particularly sensitive area where privacy and confidentiality of information are immensely important. Storage, transmission and implementation of health-related data and information are some of the processes which require secure online platforms. As such, it is very important to provide security in web applications used in the health sector. This paper explores the impacts of web application security in e-health.
Provision of integral healthcare in the modern medical profession has taken a new direction with regards to storage of clinical data and patients' records (Chryssanthou & Apostolakis & Varlamis, 2010, p.3). In order to achieve a shared healthcare paradigm, implementation of web-based applications has become inevitable. Electronic health records (EHRs) have become a common buzzword in healthcare issues and facilities. The advent of EHRs has reliably replaced paperwork in medical informatics (Chryssanthou & Apostolakis & Varlamis, 2010, p.3). The EHR can be designed as an online-hosted platform in which medical information, patients' health records and clinical data are stored. Security policies and programs must be integrated during the structuring of the EHRs, due to a number of reasons which are related to availability, confidentiality, privacy and authenticity of data and information. Security in e-health services requires safe transmission of data to and from the EHRs (Chryssanthou & Apostolakis & Varlamis, 2010, p.3).