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Biomedical subjects

M Khair

Publications and source records attributed to M Khair.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Implementing security on a prototype hospital database.

This paper describes the methodology used and the experience gained from the application of a new secure database design approach and database security policy in a real life hospital environment. The applicability of the proposed database security policy in a major Greek general hospital is demonstrated. Moreover, the security and quality assurance of the developed prototype secure database is examined, taking into consideration the results from the study of the user acceptance.

Computer Security↗

Security of medical image databases.

Medical images are an integral and indispensable part of health care information systems. Because of the critical nature of image information and stringent privacy requirements in medical environments, the medical images database systems must provide reasonable safeguards to assure confidentiality, integrity and availability of images to be deployable. In this paper we address mainly the confidentiality issues. Only authorized users should have for example access to medical images. Access to images is usually based on certain security constraints. Security constraints processing is a widely used mechanism for obtaining the appropriate level of the security required in traditional (non-multimedia) database systems. However, the security constraints processing in multimedia environments possess a number of interesting problems. In this paper we address the advantages and problems of using content-based security constraints on medical image databases. We also propose a methodology for the integration of security constraints into medical image databases, taking into account the true multimedia nature of the medical images (e.g. the content of the medical images).

Computer Communication Networks↗

An integrated secure design of a medical database system.

An integrated secure design methodology for the enhancement of database security in a hospital environment is presented in this paper. The proposed design methodology is based on both the discretionary and the mandatory database security policies. In this way, the advantages of both approaches are combined to enhance medical database security. The experimental implementation of the methodology in a major Greek hospital is also presented. The implementation has shown that the combined discretionary and mandatory security enforcement effectively limits unauthorized access to the medical database, without severely restricting the capabilities of the system.

Computer Security↗

Enhancing medical database security.

A methodology for the enhancement of database security in a hospital environment is presented in this paper which is based on both the discretionary and the mandatory database security policies. In this way the advantages of both approaches are combined to enhance medical database security. An appropriate classification of the different types of users according to their different needs and roles and a User Role Definition Hierarchy has been used. The experience obtained from the experimental implementation of the proposed methodology in a major general hospital is briefly discussed. The implementation has shown that the combined discretionary and mandatory security enforcement effectively limits the unauthorized access to the medical database, without severely restricting the capabilities of the system.

Computer Security↗

Access control based on attribute certificates for medical intranet applications.

BACKGROUND: Clinical information systems frequently use intranet and Internet technologies. However these technologies have emphasized sharing and not security, despite the sensitive and private nature of much health information. Digital certificates (electronic documents which recognize an entity or its attributes) can be used to control access in clinical intranet applications. OBJECTIVES: To outline the need for access control in distributed clinical database systems, to describe the use of digital certificates and security policies, and to propose the architecture for a system using digital certificates, cryptography and security policy to control access to clinical intranet applications. METHODS: We have previously developed a security policy, DIMEDAC (Distributed Medical Database Access Control), which is compatible with emerging public key and privilege management infrastructure. In our implementation approach we propose the use of digital certificates, to be used in conjunction with DIMEDAC. RESULTS: Our proposed access control system consists of two phases: the ways users gain their security credentials; and how these credentials are used to access medical data. Three types of digital certificates are used: identity certificates for authentication; attribute certificates for authorization; and access-rule certificates for propagation of access control policy. Once a user is identified and authenticated, subsequent access decisions are based on a combination of identity and attribute certificates, with access-rule certificates providing the policy framework. CONCLUSIONS: Access control in clinical intranet applications can be successfully and securely managed through the use of digital certificates and the DIMEDAC security policy.

Certification↗