🔒 Security Policy

1. Introduction

At Cardio AI, security is not just a feature—it's the foundation of everything we do. As a healthcare technology platform handling sensitive Protected Health Information (PHI), we maintain the highest standards of information security to protect patient data and ensure the integrity of our AI-powered cardiovascular diagnostic services.

This Security Policy outlines our comprehensive approach to information security, including technical safeguards, organizational measures, and compliance frameworks that protect your data.

2. Security Framework & Standards

2.1 Compliance Frameworks

2.2 Security Governance

• Chief Information Security Officer (CISO): Executive leadership for security strategy and implementation
• Security Committee: Cross-functional team overseeing security policies and risk management
• Privacy Officer: Dedicated officer ensuring HIPAA privacy compliance
• Security Officer: Technical security implementation and monitoring
• Incident Response Team: 24/7 team for security incident management

3. Data Encryption

3.1 Encryption at Rest

• AES-256 Encryption: All stored data encrypted using industry-standard Advanced Encryption Standard with 256-bit keys
• Database Encryption: Full database encryption including field-level encryption for sensitive PHI
• File System Encryption: Encrypted file systems for all storage volumes
• Backup Encryption: All backups encrypted with separate encryption keys
• Key Management: Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) for encryption key storage and rotation

3.2 Encryption in Transit

• TLS 1.3: Latest Transport Layer Security protocol for all data transmissions
• Perfect Forward Secrecy: Unique session keys prevent retroactive decryption
• Certificate Pinning: Prevention of man-in-the-middle attacks
• VPN Encryption: IPsec/SSL VPN for administrative access
• End-to-End Encryption: For sensitive patient-provider communications

3.3 Key Management

• Automated key rotation every 90 days
• Separate encryption keys for different data types
• Hardware Security Module (HSM) key storage
• Key usage auditing and monitoring
• Secure key destruction protocols

4. Access Control & Authentication

4.1 Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

• Required for All Users: No exceptions—MFA mandatory for all platform access
• Supported Methods: Authenticator apps, SMS codes, hardware tokens, biometric authentication
• Admin Accounts: Enhanced MFA requirements for administrative access
• Session Management: Automatic timeout after 15 minutes of inactivity

4.2 Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

• Principle of Least Privilege: Users granted minimum access necessary for their role
• Role Definitions: Clearly defined roles with specific permissions (Physician, Nurse, Admin, Technician)
• Access Reviews: Quarterly reviews of user access rights
• Separation of Duties: Critical functions require multiple approvers
• Automatic Deprovisioning: Immediate access revocation upon termination

4.3 Password Requirements

• Minimum 12 characters with complexity requirements
• Password expiration every 90 days
• Password history preventing reuse of last 12 passwords
• Account lockout after 5 failed login attempts
• Password strength meter and rejection of compromised passwords

4.4 Privileged Access Management

• Separate privileged accounts for administrative tasks
• Just-in-time (JIT) privileged access provisioning
• Session recording for all privileged access
• Break-glass procedures for emergency access
• Privileged access analytics and anomaly detection

5. Network Security

5.1 Perimeter Security

• Next-Generation Firewalls: Application-aware firewalls with intrusion prevention
• DDoS Protection: Distributed denial-of-service mitigation and traffic scrubbing
• Web Application Firewall (WAF): Protection against OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities
• API Gateway Security: Rate limiting, authentication, and authorization enforcement

5.2 Network Segmentation

• Zero Trust Architecture: Never trust, always verify approach to network access
• Micro-Segmentation: Isolated network zones for different system components
• DMZ Implementation: Demilitarized zones for external-facing services
• VLAN Isolation: Virtual LANs separating production, development, and administrative networks

5.3 Intrusion Detection & Prevention

• Network-based IDS/IPS monitoring all traffic
• Host-based IDS on critical servers
• Real-time threat intelligence integration
• Automated threat response and blocking
• 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC) monitoring

5.4 Secure Remote Access

• VPN required for all remote administrative access
• Multi-factor authentication for VPN connections
• Split tunneling disabled for security
• Session monitoring and recording
• Geographic access restrictions

6. Infrastructure Security

6.1 Cloud Infrastructure

• HIPAA-Compliant Cloud: AWS/Azure environments with executed Business Associate Agreements
• Data Center Security: SOC 2 Type II certified facilities with 24/7 physical security
• Geographic Redundancy: Multi-region deployment for high availability
• Isolated Environments: Separate production, staging, and development environments

6.2 Physical Security

• Biometric access controls to data centers
• 24/7 video surveillance and security personnel
• Environmental controls (temperature, humidity, fire suppression)
• Secure hardware disposal with certified destruction
• Visitor logging and escort requirements

6.3 Server Hardening

• Minimal software installation (only essential services)
• Disabled unnecessary ports and services
• Regular security patching within 30 days of release
• Anti-malware and endpoint protection on all servers
• Host-based firewalls on all systems

6.4 Container & Orchestration Security

• Kubernetes security hardening and network policies
• Container image scanning for vulnerabilities
• Immutable infrastructure principles
• Runtime security monitoring
• Secrets management for container environments

7. Application Security

7.1 Secure Development Lifecycle (SDLC)

• Security by Design: Security requirements defined at project inception
• Threat Modeling: Systematic identification of security threats
• Code Reviews: Mandatory peer review with security focus
• Static Analysis: Automated code scanning for security vulnerabilities
• Dynamic Testing: Runtime security testing before deployment

7.2 Application Testing

• Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
• Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)
• Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST)
• Software Composition Analysis (SCA) for third-party libraries
• Penetration testing by certified ethical hackers (annually)

7.3 Secure Coding Practices

• OWASP Top 10 vulnerability prevention
• Input validation and sanitization
• Output encoding to prevent injection attacks
• Parameterized queries for database access
• Secure session management
• Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection
• Content Security Policy (CSP) implementation

7.4 API Security

• OAuth 2.0 / OpenID Connect authentication
• API rate limiting and throttling
• API key rotation and revocation
• Request/response validation
• API versioning and deprecation policies

8. Security Incident Response

8.1 Incident Response Team

• 24/7 Availability: On-call security team for immediate response
• Defined Roles: Incident Commander, Technical Lead, Communications Lead, Legal Liaison
• Escalation Procedures: Clear escalation paths to executive leadership

8.2 Incident Response Process

• Detection: Automated monitoring, alerts, and threat intelligence
• Analysis: Rapid assessment of incident scope and severity
• Containment: Immediate isolation of affected systems
• Eradication: Removal of threat and closure of vulnerabilities
• Recovery: Restoration of services with enhanced monitoring
• Post-Incident Review: Lessons learned and process improvements

8.3 Breach Notification

• HIPAA Compliance: Notification within 72 hours of breach discovery
• Affected Individuals: Direct notification to impacted patients
• Regulatory Authorities: Reporting to HHS, state authorities as required
• Media Notification: Public disclosure for large-scale breaches
• Business Associates: Notification to healthcare partners

8.4 Incident Documentation

• Detailed incident logs and timelines
• Root cause analysis reports
• Remediation action tracking
• Regulatory filing documentation
• Lessons learned repository

9. Vulnerability Management

9.1 Vulnerability Scanning

• Continuous Scanning: Automated daily vulnerability scans
• Authenticated Scans: Deep scanning with system credentials
• Web Application Scans: Weekly scans of all web applications
• Network Scans: Quarterly comprehensive network assessments

9.2 Patch Management

• Critical Patches: Deployment within 7 days of release
• High-Severity Patches: Deployment within 30 days
• Automated Patching: Where feasible for non-critical systems
• Patch Testing: Validation in staging before production deployment
• Emergency Patching: Expedited process for zero-day vulnerabilities

9.3 Penetration Testing

• Annual external penetration testing by certified professionals
• Semi-annual internal penetration testing
• Red team exercises testing detection and response
• Social engineering assessments
• Remediation verification testing

9.4 Bug Bounty Program

• Responsible disclosure program for security researchers
• Financial rewards for valid vulnerability reports
• Coordinated disclosure timelines
• Public acknowledgment of researchers (with permission)

10. Backup & Disaster Recovery

10.1 Backup Strategy

• Automated Daily Backups: Full system backups every 24 hours
• Incremental Backups: Hourly incremental backups for critical data
• Off-Site Storage: Geographic replication to separate regions
• Backup Encryption: AES-256 encryption of all backup data
• Retention Policy: 30-day retention for daily backups, 1-year for monthly

10.2 Disaster Recovery

• Recovery Time Objective (RTO): 4 hours for critical systems
• Recovery Point Objective (RPO): Maximum 1 hour of data loss
• Failover Testing: Quarterly disaster recovery drills
• Runbooks: Detailed procedures for system recovery
• Hot Standby: Active-active configuration for critical services

10.3 Business Continuity

• Documented business continuity plans
• Alternative processing site availability
• Communication plans for stakeholders
• Annual business continuity testing
• Supply chain resilience planning

11. Employee Security & Training

11.1 Background Checks

• Comprehensive background checks for all employees
• Enhanced screening for employees with data access
• Verification of professional credentials
• Periodic re-screening for high-risk roles

11.2 Security Training

• Onboarding Training: Mandatory security training for all new hires
• Annual Training: Yearly security awareness refresher courses
• HIPAA Training: Specific training on PHI handling and privacy
• Phishing Simulations: Monthly phishing tests and education
• Role-Specific Training: Specialized training for technical staff

11.3 Acceptable Use Policy

• Clear guidelines for system and data usage
• Prohibited activities and consequences
• Personal device usage policies (BYOD)
• Social media and external communication guidelines
• Annual policy acknowledgment required

11.4 Termination Procedures

• Immediate access revocation upon termination
• Return of company assets and devices
• Exit interviews covering security obligations
• Ongoing confidentiality agreements
• Post-employment monitoring for high-risk departures

12. Third-Party Security

12.1 Vendor Risk Management

• Security Assessments: Evaluation of all vendors handling PHI
• Due Diligence: Review of security certifications (SOC 2, ISO 27001)
• Questionnaires: Detailed security questionnaires for all vendors
• On-Site Audits: Physical audits of critical vendors
• Annual Reviews: Yearly reassessment of vendor security posture

12.2 Business Associate Agreements

• Executed BAAs with all vendors accessing PHI
• Specific security and privacy obligations
• Breach notification requirements
• Right to audit vendor security controls
• Secure data destruction upon contract termination

12.3 Third-Party Access Controls

• Separate credentials for vendor access
• Least privilege access for vendors
• MFA required for all vendor access
• Session monitoring and logging
• Regular access reviews and revocation

12.4 Supply Chain Security

• Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) for all components
• Open source license compliance
• Vulnerability monitoring of third-party libraries
• Vendor security incident notification requirements

13. Compliance & Auditing

13.1 Internal Audits

• Quarterly Security Audits: Internal assessment of security controls
• Access Reviews: Quarterly review of user access rights
• Log Reviews: Monthly audit log analysis
• Policy Compliance: Verification of security policy adherence
• Vulnerability Management: Tracking of remediation activities

13.2 External Audits

• SOC 2 Type II: Annual third-party audit with public report
• HIPAA Audit: Regular HIPAA Security Rule assessments
• ISO 27001: Annual certification audit
• Penetration Testing: Annual external security assessment

13.3 Continuous Monitoring

• 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC) monitoring
• Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system
• Real-time threat intelligence feeds
• Automated compliance checks and reporting
• User behavior analytics and anomaly detection

13.4 Audit Logging

• Comprehensive logging of all system access
• Tamper-proof log storage with encryption
• 7-year log retention for compliance
• Automated log analysis and alerting
• Audit trail for all PHI access

14. Security Reporting

14.1 How to Report Security Issues

We encourage responsible disclosure of security vulnerabilities. If you discover a security issue:

Security Team Contact:

• Email: security@cardioailive.com
• PGP Key: Available upon request for encrypted communication
• Response Time: Initial response within 24 hours

14.2 What to Include in Your Report

• Detailed description of the vulnerability
• Steps to reproduce the issue
• Potential impact assessment
• Your contact information (for follow-up)
• Any suggested remediation steps

14.3 Our Commitment to You

• Acknowledgment of your report within 24 hours
• Regular updates on our investigation and remediation
• Public recognition (with your permission) upon resolution
• No legal action for good-faith security research
• Potential bug bounty rewards for qualifying vulnerabilities