HIPAA Security

HIPAA Security Risk Assessment

The HIPAA Security Rule requires every covered entity and business associate to perform a thorough security risk assessment. PTG delivers OCR-aligned assessments that evaluate your administrative, physical, and technical safeguards, identify vulnerabilities to electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI), and produce actionable remediation plans.

Request an Assessment Call 919-348-4912

Understanding the HIPAA Security Risk Assessment

Under 45 CFR 164.308(a)(1)(ii)(A), the HIPAA Security Rule mandates that organizations conduct an accurate and thorough assessment of the potential risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic Protected Health Information. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has consistently identified failure to perform an adequate risk analysis as the most common finding in HIPAA enforcement actions and breach investigations.

A HIPAA Security Risk Assessment is distinct from a simple vulnerability scan or penetration test. It encompasses a complete evaluation of your organization's security posture across all three safeguard categories defined in the Security Rule: administrative safeguards, physical safeguards, and technical safeguards. The assessment must consider both the likelihood and impact of potential threats to ePHI.

PTG's HIPAA Security Risk Assessment follows the guidance published by HHS and aligns with NIST Special Publication 800-30 (Guide for Conducting Risk Assessments) and NIST SP 800-66 (An Introductory Resource Guide for Implementing the HIPAA Security Rule). Our methodology has been validated through OCR audits, ensuring that our assessments meet the standard expected by federal regulators.

What We Assess

Administrative Safeguards

Security management processes, assigned security responsibility, workforce security, information access management, security awareness training, security incident procedures, contingency planning, and evaluation of controls.

Physical Safeguards

Facility access controls, workstation use policies, workstation security, device and media controls including proper disposal, data backup procedures, and physical access logs and audit trails.

Technical Safeguards

Access control mechanisms (unique user IDs, emergency access, automatic logoff, encryption), audit controls, integrity controls, person/entity authentication, and transmission security.

Assessment Deliverables

Executive Summary

A high-level overview of your organization's HIPAA compliance posture, overall risk rating, and top-priority findings for leadership review and decision-making.

Detailed Findings Report

Comprehensive documentation of each identified threat-vulnerability pair, current controls, likelihood and impact ratings, and resulting risk determinations mapped to specific HIPAA requirements.

Threat Analysis & Risk Determination

Thorough analysis of the threat landscape applicable to your organization, including natural threats, human threats (both intentional and unintentional), and environmental threats.

Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M)

Prioritized remediation roadmap with specific, actionable steps for addressing each identified gap. Includes responsible parties, target dates, and resource requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often must we perform a HIPAA Security Risk Assessment?
While HIPAA does not specify a fixed schedule, OCR guidance recommends performing a risk assessment at least annually and whenever significant changes occur in your environment. Changes that trigger a reassessment include new technology deployments, organizational restructuring, security incidents, or changes to regulatory requirements.
Does this satisfy MACRA/MIPS requirements?
Yes. PTG's comprehensive HIPAA Security Risk Assessment satisfies the Promoting Interoperability requirements under MACRA/MIPS. The final deliverable includes a PDF certificate of completion that can be shared with auditors and vendors.
Can we perform the risk assessment ourselves?
While there is no HIPAA requirement to use a third party, OCR expects risk assessments to be thorough, accurate, and conducted by personnel with the appropriate security expertise. Most healthcare organizations benefit from engaging qualified external assessors who bring objectivity and specialized knowledge of the HIPAA Security Rule requirements.
What is the difference between an SRA and a penetration test?
A Security Risk Assessment evaluates the full spectrum of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards across your organization. A penetration test is a focused technical exercise that simulates attacks against specific systems. Both are valuable, and PTG includes penetration testing as part of our comprehensive compliance packages.

Protect Your Patients' Health Information

PTG serves healthcare organizations throughout Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and the Research Triangle Park with comprehensive HIPAA Security Risk Assessments. Take the first step toward compliance.

Schedule Your Assessment Call 919-348-4912

Why Choose Petronella Technology Group

Petronella Technology Group has been a trusted IT and cybersecurity partner for businesses across Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, and the Research Triangle since 2002. Led by CEO Craig Petronella, a Licensed Digital Forensic Examiner, CMMC Certified Registered Practitioner, and MIT-certified professional in cybersecurity, AI, blockchain, and compliance, PTG brings deep expertise to every engagement.

With BBB accreditation since 2003 and more than 2,500 businesses served, PTG has the experience and track record to deliver results. Craig Petronella is an Amazon number-one best-selling author of books including "How HIPAA Can Crush Your Medical Practice," "How Hackers Can Crush Your Law Firm," and "The Ultimate Guide To CMMC." He has been featured on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and WRAL, and serves as an expert witness for law firms in cybercrime and compliance cases.

PTG holds certifications including CCNA, MCNS, Microsoft Cloud Essentials, and specializes in CMMC 2.0, NIST 800-171/172/173, HIPAA, FTC Safeguards, SOC 2 Type II, PCI DSS, GDPR, CCPA, and ISO 27001 compliance. Our forensic specialties include endpoint and networking cybercrime investigation, data breach forensics, ransomware analysis, data exfiltration investigation, cryptocurrency and blockchain analysis, and SIM swap fraud investigation.

The PTG Compliance Process

Achieving and maintaining regulatory compliance requires a structured, repeatable process. PTG has developed a proven compliance methodology refined over more than two decades of helping businesses navigate complex regulatory requirements. Our process begins with a comprehensive gap assessment that evaluates your current policies, procedures, and technical controls against the specific requirements of your target framework. This assessment identifies exactly where your organization stands and what needs to be done to achieve compliance.

Following the gap assessment, PTG develops a prioritized remediation roadmap that outlines every action item needed to close identified gaps. We categorize items by risk level and effort required, allowing organizations to address the most critical deficiencies first while planning for longer-term improvements. Our consultants work alongside your team to implement technical controls, develop required policies and procedures, create employee training programs, and establish the documentation and evidence collection processes needed to demonstrate compliance during audits and assessments.

Compliance is not a one-time project but an ongoing commitment. Regulations evolve, threats change, and business environments shift. PTG provides continuous compliance monitoring services that track your compliance status in real time, alert you to emerging gaps, and ensure that your security controls remain effective. We conduct regular internal audits, update policies as regulations change, and prepare your organization for external audits or assessments. Our goal is to make compliance a natural part of your business operations rather than a periodic scramble to meet audit deadlines.

For organizations subject to multiple compliance frameworks, PTG takes a unified approach that maps overlapping requirements across frameworks. Rather than implementing separate programs for each regulation, we build a comprehensive security and compliance program that satisfies multiple requirements simultaneously. This integrated approach reduces costs, eliminates redundant processes, and provides a clearer picture of your overall security and compliance posture, making it easier to manage ongoing obligations and demonstrate compliance to auditors, clients, and business partners.

Our Approach to Cybersecurity

At Petronella Technology Group, cybersecurity is not just about installing antivirus software or setting up a firewall. We take a comprehensive, layered approach to security that addresses people, processes, and technology. Our methodology is built on industry-standard frameworks including NIST Cybersecurity Framework, CIS Controls, and MITRE ATT&CK, ensuring that your security program is aligned with the same standards used by Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. Every engagement begins with a thorough assessment of your current security posture, followed by a prioritized remediation roadmap that addresses your most critical risks first.

Our security operations team provides continuous monitoring through our Security Information and Event Management platform, which correlates events across your entire environment to detect threats in real time. When a potential threat is identified, our analysts investigate and respond immediately, often containing threats before they can cause damage. This proactive approach dramatically reduces the risk of successful cyberattacks and provides the rapid response capability that is essential in today's threat landscape.

We believe that employee awareness is one of the most important layers of defense. Human error remains the leading cause of data breaches, and no amount of technology can fully compensate for untrained employees. PTG provides comprehensive security awareness training programs that educate your team about phishing, social engineering, password security, data handling, and incident reporting. Our training programs include simulated phishing campaigns that test employee readiness and identify areas where additional education is needed, helping organizations build a strong security culture from the ground up.

Beyond prevention, PTG prepares organizations for the reality that breaches can occur despite the best defenses. Our incident response planning services help businesses develop, document, and test response procedures so that when an incident does occur, your team knows exactly what to do. From tabletop exercises to full incident simulations, we ensure that your organization is prepared to respond quickly and effectively, minimizing damage, preserving evidence, and meeting all regulatory notification requirements within required timeframes.

Additional Questions and Answers

What compliance frameworks does PTG help businesses implement?
PTG helps businesses implement and maintain compliance with a wide range of frameworks including CMMC 2.0, NIST 800-171 and 800-172, HIPAA, FTC Safeguards Rule, SOC 2 Type II, PCI DSS, GDPR, CCPA, and ISO 27001. Our compliance consultants work with organizations in Raleigh, Durham, and the Research Triangle to assess current gaps, develop remediation roadmaps, implement required controls, create policy documentation, and prepare for third-party audits or assessments. We take a unified approach that addresses multiple frameworks simultaneously to reduce duplication of effort.
How long does it take to achieve compliance certification?
The timeline varies significantly depending on the framework, organization size, and current security maturity. HIPAA compliance can often be achieved in three to six months with dedicated effort. CMMC Level 2 certification typically requires six to twelve months of preparation. SOC 2 Type II requires a minimum audit observation period of six months. ISO 27001 implementation generally takes six to twelve months. PTG helps organizations develop realistic timelines and prioritize the most critical controls to achieve compliance as efficiently as possible while building a sustainable long-term security program.
What happens if a business fails a compliance audit?
Failing a compliance audit can result in financial penalties, loss of business contracts, reputational damage, and in some cases, legal liability. HIPAA violations can result in fines ranging from one hundred dollars to fifty thousand dollars per violation, up to one and a half million dollars annually per violation category. CMMC non-compliance means losing eligibility for Department of Defense contracts. PCI DSS non-compliance can result in increased transaction fees and loss of payment processing capabilities. PTG helps businesses avoid these consequences through thorough pre-audit preparation, gap assessments, and continuous compliance monitoring.
What is the difference between SOC 2 Type I and Type II?
SOC 2 Type I evaluates the design of your security controls at a specific point in time, providing a snapshot of your security posture. SOC 2 Type II evaluates both the design and operating effectiveness of your controls over a period of time, typically six to twelve months. Type II is considered more rigorous and valuable because it demonstrates that your controls consistently work as intended over an extended period. Most enterprise clients and partners require SOC 2 Type II reports when evaluating vendors. PTG helps organizations prepare for and maintain both types of SOC 2 compliance.
Can one compliance framework satisfy multiple regulatory requirements?
Yes, many compliance frameworks share overlapping controls and requirements. Implementing NIST 800-171 provides a strong foundation for CMMC 2.0 compliance. ISO 27001 maps to many SOC 2 and HIPAA requirements. The NIST Cybersecurity Framework aligns with virtually all other frameworks. PTG takes a unified compliance approach, helping organizations implement controls that satisfy multiple frameworks simultaneously. This integrated strategy reduces duplication of effort, lowers costs, and creates a more cohesive security program that addresses all applicable regulatory requirements without redundant processes or documentation.

Ready to Get Started?

Contact Petronella Technology Group today for a free consultation. Serving Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and the Research Triangle since 2002.

919-348-4912 Schedule a Free Consultation

5540 Centerview Dr., Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606