AWS PHI Exposure Prevention

Learn how to prevent exposure of Protected Health Information (PHI) in AWS environments. Follow step-by-step guidance for HIPAA compliance.

data exposure

HIPAA

aws

Why It Matters

The core goal is to implement proactive measures that prevent Protected Health Information (PHI) from being exposed through misconfigurations, overly permissive access controls, or inadequate encryption across your AWS infrastructure. Preventing PHI exposure is critical for organizations subject to HIPAA, as it helps you maintain patient privacy and avoid costly breaches before they occur.

Primary Risk: Data exposure of sensitive healthcare information

Relevant Regulation: HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

A comprehensive prevention strategy establishes multiple layers of protection, ensuring PHI remains secure through encryption, access controls, and continuous monitoring.

Prerequisites

Permissions & Roles

  • AWS account admin or IAM full access
  • S3 bucket and KMS key management permissions
  • CloudTrail and CloudWatch configuration access

External Tools

  • AWS CLI configured
  • Cyera DSPM account
  • Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with AWS

Prior Setup

  • AWS account with BAA signed
  • VPC and security groups configured
  • KMS keys provisioned
  • Logging and monitoring enabled

Introducing Cyera

Cyera is a modern Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) platform that uses AI-powered Named Entity Recognition (NER) and machine learning to automatically discover, classify, and protect PHI across your AWS environment. By continuously monitoring your data stores and applying intelligent policy enforcement, Cyera ensures your healthcare data remains compliant with HIPAA requirements while preventing accidental exposures before they occur.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Enable comprehensive encryption

Configure encryption at rest and in transit for all AWS services storing PHI. Create dedicated KMS keys for healthcare data and enable default encryption on S3 buckets, RDS instances, and EBS volumes.

aws kms create-key --description "PHI-Encryption-Key" --key-usage ENCRYPT_DECRYPT

2
Implement strict access controls

Configure IAM policies following least privilege principles. Set up MFA requirements for all PHI access, implement role-based access controls, and establish regular access reviews.

3
Deploy Cyera DSPM protection

In the Cyera portal, configure AWS integration with read-only permissions. Set up automated PHI classification policies, enable real-time exposure alerts, and configure automated remediation workflows for misconfigurations.

4
Establish monitoring and alerting

Configure CloudTrail for comprehensive audit logging, set up CloudWatch alarms for suspicious access patterns, and integrate with your SIEM for real-time threat detection and incident response.

Architecture & Workflow

AWS KMS

Centralized key management and encryption

IAM & Access Controls

Role-based permissions and MFA enforcement

Cyera AI Engine

NER-based PHI classification and policy enforcement

Monitoring & Alerting

CloudTrail, CloudWatch, and SIEM integration

Prevention Flow Summary

Encrypt Data → Control Access → Monitor Activity → Alert & Remediate

Best Practices & Tips

Encryption Strategy

  • Use customer-managed KMS keys for PHI
  • Enable encryption for all data at rest and in transit
  • Regularly rotate encryption keys

Access Management

  • Implement principle of least privilege
  • Require MFA for PHI access
  • Conduct quarterly access reviews

Common Pitfalls

  • Overlooking temporary or staging environments
  • Using default encryption instead of customer keys
  • Insufficient logging and monitoring coverage

References & Further Reading

Next Steps

🔍 Detect: Discover existing PHI in your AWS environment 🔧 Fix: Remediate exposed PHI findings