Security and Privacy Challenges for Healthcare
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Item The Use of Cookies and Cookie Consent Dialogs on the Websites of Swiss Hospitals Between 2023 and 2024(2025-01-07) Beier, Michael; Schillo, KatrinDecision-making regarding cookies and cookie consent dialogs on hospital websites is challenging. On the one hand, their use can offer hospitals various advantages when interacting with their target groups. On the other hand, they are controversial as hospital websites are critical areas where people are vulnerable or at risk of disclosing sensitive information. Furthermore, Switzerland has introduced its new Federal Act on Data Protection in September 2023, which might have prompted hospitals in Switzerland to adapt the use of cookies on their websites and their cookie consent dialogs. In this study, we used data from 268 hospitals in Switzerland to analyze how hospitals changed their use of cookies and cookie consent dialogs between 2023 and 2024 and what factors might have influenced this. Based on our findings, we reflect on policy aspects related to cookies and cookie consent dialogs on hospital websites in Switzerland and other countries.Item Securing Genomic Data Using Fully Homomorphic Encryption: A Feasibility Study(2025-01-07) Moriggl, Pascal; Massaro, Gabriel; Asprion, PetraThis study investigated the application of Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) for securing genomic data in cloud computing environments, addressing the critical need for privacy in healthcare. FHE allows computations on encrypted data without decryption, ensuring end-to-end encryption during data transit, rest, and analysis. Main focus is on securely sharing raw genotyping data with untrusted third-party services. A prototype was developed using a design research methodology to assess FHE’s feasibility and performance in real-world scenarios. The results indicate that the prototype maintains privacy without compromising computational efficiency, accurately handling encrypted datasets to provide correct genotype reports. The study highlights FHE’s role in enhancing data security in healthcare and suggests further directions for research towards secure genomic data processing.Item COVID-19 Mobile Applications for Vaccination in New York State (NYS)(2025-01-07) Bennett Gayle, Deedee; Dadson, Yvonne; Goodarzi, Mahsa; Yuan, XiaojunThis study investigates the acceptance and perceptions of COVID-19 mobile applications, particularly the Excelsior Pass for proof of vaccination in New York State (NYS). Employing the Antecedent Privacy Concerns Outcomes (APCO) methodology, a two-stage research approach was conducted, involving an online survey of 249 NYS residents and focus group interviews with 63 participants. The study explored the perceived usefulness of the apps and the influence of privacy and security concerns on their adoption, considering differences by race and age. Results showed that the Excelsior Pass was generally regarded as beneficial, with slight variations based on the task it was used for. While age and race had a minimal association, political affiliation proved more significant. Despite the apps' promise, their measured adoption emphasizes the need for targeted outreach and policy refinements to maximize their public health impact.Item Introduction to the Minitrack on Security and Privacy Challenges for Healthcare(2025-01-07) Plachkinova, Miloslava; Vo, Ace; Masuch, Kristin; Greve, Maike