If you’re building a healthcare application, HIPAA compliance is non-negotiable — and yet many teams unknowingly overlook critical security requirements. In an episode of the HIPAA Insider Show, hosts Adam Zeineddine and Gil Vidals, Founder & CTO of HIPAA Vault, discussed the five most commonly missed HIPAA app development tips.
This article expands their discussion with practical guidance, authoritative resources, and in-text internal links to help you build a secure, compliant healthcare application.
Tip #1 — Encrypt Data at Rest and In Transit
Encryption is one of the most essential HIPAA safeguards. Yet, developers often assume encryption is enabled by default — it isn’t. According to the HHS Encryption Guidance, covered entities must ensure PHI is properly secured everywhere it lives.
Encryption at rest protects PHI stored on disks, snapshots, backups, and VMs. To understand proper storage encryption standards, review the NIST SP 800-111 guide.
Encryption in transit protects PHI as it travels between a user’s device and your application. At minimum, TLS 1.2+ is expected.
When you host your application with a managed solution like HIPAA-Compliant Hosting or the fully managed HIPAA Cloud, encryption at rest and in transit is built into the infrastructure.
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Learn MoreTip #2 — Use Two-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Gil shared that many healthcare applications launch without two-factor authentication — a critical oversight. While HIPAA doesn’t explicitly say “MFA,” the requirement for strong authentication is clear, and MFA is the accepted standard referenced in the NIST Digital Identity Guidelines.
Your app should support MFA via email, SMS, app-based TOTP, or hardware keys. Environments like HIPAA-Compliant Email and HIPAA WordPress Hosting include enforced authentication protections to safeguard PHI.
Tip #3 — Maintain Proper Logging and Retention (Minimum 6 Years)
HIPAA requires audit logs — including access logs, login attempts, configuration changes, and PHI access events — to be retained for six years, according to the HIPAA Security Rule on Audit Controls.
Some states require 7–10 years of retention for medical records, and a few require retention for the life of the patient.
To simplify compliance, managed solutions such as HIPAA Cloud automatically store and secure logs. Tools like HIPAA-Compliant File Sharing and HIPAA Linux Hosting also include audit-tracking features required for HIPAA compliance.
Tip #4 — Implement Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
DLP (Data Loss Prevention) tools prevent PHI from leaking into your logs, exports, and system messages. Gil noted that developers often don’t realize when PHI — such as Social Security numbers — slips into logs.
This violates the HIPAA Minimum Necessary Standard, outlined by the HHS Privacy Rule guidance.
You can reduce these risks by performing regular security reviews through HIPAA Penetration Testing or automated HIPAA Vulnerability Scanning. If you need hands-on help, HIPAA Vualt can assist in identifying and remediating DLP gaps.
Tip #5 — Use OWASP Rules to Block Common Web Attacks
Modern healthcare applications face a high risk of attacks like SQL injection, XSS, and CSRF. The OWASP Top 10 outlines the most critical security risks that developers should guard against.
Enabling OWASP-based protections — often provided by a WAF (Web Application Firewall) — helps ensure your application meets HIPAA’s Technical Safeguards. You can reinforce your security posture through HIPAA Penetration Testing, hardened infrastructure via HIPAA Secure Hosting, or real-world examples from HIPAA Vault’s Case Studies.
Final Thoughts
As Adam highlighted, these five tips are not a complete HIPAA checklist — but they are some of the most critical and most frequently overlooked steps in secure healthcare app development. Addressing them early helps reduce the risk of costly compliance failures down the road.
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