Protecting Healthcare Data with Adlumin

Protecting Personal Healthcare Information (PHI) from Threats

Area Agency on Aging Region 9 (AAA9), based in Cambridge, Ohio, serves nine counties and aims to help older adults and people with disabilities live independently. With an annual budget of $53 million sourced from local, state, and federal funds, AAA9 manages a broad range of services. It assists 2,500 case-managed clients and supports approximately 40,000 older adults through various contracts and grant programs. Each year, it processes 10,000 incoming screening requests and facilitates the placement of around 6,000 individuals into nursing homes.

As a government agency and healthcare provider, AAA9 handles highly sensitive data, including personal health information (PHI) and records related to federal and state funding programs. With only two IT professionals, the agency faced the challenge of securing this critical data and maintaining system reliability. 

Previous Solution Lacked Scalability and Timely Alerts

Previously, AAA9 relied on an event log analyzer to sift through logs from multiple servers. While it allowed them to search for specific events, all alerts had to be manually configured by their internal team, often in response to audit findings or penetration tests. This reactive approach meant they were constantly playing catch-up. As Cory Clark, Network/Systems Technician at AAA9, noted, “Our previous solution didn’t alert us like Adlumin does.” 

As AAA9 grew, so did the complexity of its cybersecurity needs. More accounts and a higher volume of logs increased the burden on their limited IT staff, calling for a scalable solution that could provide continuous, 24×7 security. The organization also had aspirations for HITRUST Certification, which required a more advanced security infrastructure.

After carefully evaluating multiple vendors based on cost, features, and user experience, AAA9 selected Adlumin. The decision was driven by Adlumin’s intuitive interface, comprehensive capabilities, and 24×7 live support. Clark emphasized, “We like Adlumin’s visuals and the way the platform is designed. It’s intuitive, easy to navigate, and you can quickly find what you’re looking for.” 

Adlumin’s Integrations Ingest Billions of Logs Monthly

With AAA9 managing services for 40,000 older adults across multiple counties, processing billions of logs monthly is a crucial part of its cybersecurity strategy. Adlumin’s platform gathers data from all endpoints, servers, networks, and applications, significantly easing the workload on AAA9’s small IT team. 

This capability dramatically enhances AAA9’s incident response. Clark explains, “With the billions of logs that Adlumin processes, it would be impossible for just the two of us to break everything down and sift through them.” 

Adlumin delivers alerts and breaks down their meaning, optimizing workflows and adding an extra layer of security oversight. By integrating seamlessly with AAA9’s existing systems, the solution maximize its security investments while reducing the need for time-consuming, manual analysis. It is pivotal in ensuring timely, comprehensive threat detection and remediation for AAA9. 

Healthcare Compliance and Reporting 

In the healthcare industry, regulatory compliance is paramount. For AAA9, this includes adhering to regulations like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which protects patient data. Adlumin’s one-touch compliance reporting has become essential in meeting these standards. 

“Working in healthcare, HIPPA dictates how we handle data. We ensure our accounts are secure and mitigate any major breaches or incidents. With recent attacks occurring more frequently, it’s a matter of when, not if, they will happen. We must be prepared and keep the data secure.” 

Adlumin enables AAA9 to generate detailed reports on compliance and cybersecurity health tailored to various audiences—including board presentations for those with different levels of technical expertise. 

Data protection is a collective responsibility at AAA9. “We have a duty to protect both our clients’ and employees’ data,” says Clark. Adlumin helps AAA9 bolster its security and streamline compliance efforts, creating a safer, more resilient healthcare environment.

Unified Security Operations Platform with Timely Alerts

With a small IT team of just two, AAA9 depends on Adlumin’s Security Operations as a Service platform to verify alerts quickly and thoroughly. The speed and ease of investigation are crucial to its daily operations. Adlumin’s intuitive interface and centralized platform have transformed AAA9’s approach to security, allowing the organization to locate and analyze critical information promptly.

Clark recalls a pivotal incident where Adlumin’s proactive measures prevented a potential security breach, “We had an alert where someone was outside the normal perimeter, and Adlumin shut down their account and forced an automatic password reset the next time she attempted to sign in within minutes.” This rapid response and automated intervention proved essential in neutralizing the threat with minimal manual effort.

Clark also appreciates the platform’s seamless functionality. “Adlumin provides a single pane of glass—once you’re logged in, you can access everything without needing to navigate multiple tools,” he explains. By consolidating all data in one place, Adlumin enables AAA9 to identify potential issues and uncover opportunities for improvement quickly.

“The ability to take all of our data and make it make sense. Adlumin gives us a centralized location to dump everything into, and we can take that to determine if there might be a problem somewhere. Along with letting us know where we can improve,” Clark adds. This streamlined data integration, combined with Adlumin’s user-friendly design, has allowed AAA9 to be robust security operations with impressive efficiency.

An Extended 24×7 Security Team

AAA9 has significantly strengthened its cybersecurity posture by leveraging Adlumin as an extension of its security team. Through Adlumin’s Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services, AAA9 benefits from the full capabilities of an enterprise-grade Security Operations Center (SOC) without the high costs of building and maintaining the infrastructure themselves.

“When an incident happens, and you don’t know what to do, having a steadying presence like Adlumin that is well-versed in incidents is a huge advantage,” says Clark. 

In addition to its robust platform, Adlumin’s exceptional customer service has been a cornerstone of AAA9’s positive experience. Cory Clark credits the dedicated support from their assigned customer success manager, who regularly checks in to address any questions and ensure all of AAA9’s needs are met.

Adlumin’s security solutions and dedicated customer support have empowered AAA9 to significantly enhance its cybersecurity posture, making it an essential partner for organizations seeking strong protection and seamless integration.