How to Secure Your ZenGRC for HIPAA

Learn practical steps to secure ZenGRC for HIPAA compliance. Protect patient data, reduce risk, and simplify your compliance strategy.

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Reviewed by Content Team

Daniel Goren, Head of Content

Updated June, 19

Guide

How to Secure Your ZenGRC for HIPAA

 

How to Secure Your ZenGRC for HIPAA Compliance and Get the HIPAA Badge/Seal

 

If your organization is handling patient health information (PHI), you need to make sure your ZenGRC environment is secure and meets HIPAA compliance standards. HIPAA is a law in the United States that protects patient health data, requiring strong security and privacy controls. ZenGRC helps manage risk and compliance, but it still needs to be properly configured and maintained for HIPAA.

Here’s a detailed, clear guide on how to secure your ZenGRC for HIPAA and how to get the HIPAA badge/seal:

  • Understand HIPAA Requirements: HIPAA requires you to protect three main areas: administrative safeguards (policies and staff training), physical safeguards (secure locations and devices), and technical safeguards (access controls, encryption, audit logs).
  • HIPAA Risk Assessment: Regularly review how data flows through ZenGRC, checking for risks that could expose PHI. Security specialists or assessment firms, like OCD Tech, can help with these readiness assessments.
  • User Access Controls: Only allow authorized people to access PHI within ZenGRC. Set up role-based access so staff members can only see what’s necessary for their job. Remove unused accounts and enforce strong password policies.
  • Encryption in Transit and at Rest: Make sure all PHI stored in ZenGRC is encrypted. That means no one can read it without permission, both when it sits in your database (encryption at rest) and when it moves across the internet (encryption in transit).
  • Audit Logs and Monitoring: Make sure ZenGRC keeps detailed logs of every access and change to PHI data. These logs need to be protected and reviewed regularly. This is required for any HIPAA audit and helps you spot suspicious activity.
  • Data Backup and Disaster Recovery: Regularly back up all ZenGRC data, store backups securely (preferably offsite or in the cloud), and test your ability to restore them. HIPAA demands your data remains available even in case of disaster.
  • Vendor Management: If other companies help manage ZenGRC (like cloud providers), sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with them to make sure they also protect PHI according to HIPAA standards.
  • Staff Training and Security Policies: Make sure anyone who uses ZenGRC understands HIPAA requirements. Conduct regular staff training and keep clear security procedures to handle sensitive data the right way.
  • Ongoing Risk Management: Continuously assess and fix new risks as your system changes or new features are added to ZenGRC. Consultation and periodic reviews from firms like OCD Tech ensure ongoing compliance.

To get the official HIPAA badge or seal:

  • Perform a full HIPAA audit/assessment (using your own team or with help from compliance experts like OCD Tech).
  • Fix any gaps or vulnerabilities found in your ZenGRC setup and documentation.
  • Gather evidence (policies, logs, configurations) in ZenGRC to show you meet HIPAA rules.
  • Request certification from an independent assessor. This is not run by the government; it’s done by recognized consulting firms.
  • After successful assessment, you’ll receive an attestation letter or badge from the auditor to show customers and partners that your ZenGRC use is HIPAA compliant.

The most important elements to pass a HIPAA audit:

  • Strict controls on who can access PHI in ZenGRC
  • Complete audit trails (logs of all access and changes)
  • Proof of encryption and secure backups
  • Documented policies, procedures, and staff training
  • Evidence that you continually review and address new cybersecurity risks

A successful HIPAA audit for ZenGRC is about making sure technical settings, staff, and policies all work together. If you need guidance on how to secure your ZenGRC for HIPAA badge/seal or a readiness assessment, reach out to compliance specialists like OCD Tech for expert help. This ensures you not only meet the requirements, but are ready to prove your compliance at any time.

Achieve HIPAA on ZenGRC—Fast & Secure

Don’t let security gaps slow you down. Partner with OCD Tech’s seasoned cybersecurity experts to tailor a robust, framework-aligned protection plan for your ZenGRC. From uncovering hidden vulnerabilities to mapping controls against HIPAA, we’ll streamline your path to certification—and fortify your reputation.

What is...

What is HIPAA? Learn about the U.S. law protecting health data privacy. What is ZenGRC? Discover a platform simplifying compliance and risk management tasks.

What is ZenGRC

 

What is ZenGRC?

 

ZenGRC is a cloud-based governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) platform that enables organizations to centralize and automate their compliance management processes. Tailored for info-sec teams, ZenGRC supports regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR. Its robust features are designed to streamline audits, map controls, and provide real-time visibility into risk and compliance workflows.

  • Centralizes compliance documentation for easier control and evidence management.
  • Automates assessment processes, reducing manual tasks and human error.
  • Links risks, controls, and policies for unified oversight.
  • Supports role-based access control and advanced reporting for HIPAA security rule alignment.

What is HIPAA

 

What is HIPAA?

 

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a critical U.S. law designed to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without proper authorization. In the context of cybersecurity compliance and risk management, HIPAA creates strict standards for handling, storing, and transmitting electronic protected health information (ePHI). HIPAA impacts any organization that handles medical records, including those using platforms like ZenGRC for governance, risk, and compliance. Key aspects of HIPAA include:

  • Ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all ePHI
  • Implementing administrative, physical, and technical safeguards
  • Supporting risk analysis and ongoing risk management processes
  • Facilitating audit controls and secure user access management

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Frequently asked questions

What services does OCD Tech provide?

OCD Tech offers a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity and IT assurance services, including SOC 2/3 and SOC for Cybersecurity reporting, IT vulnerability and penetration testing, privileged access management, social engineering assessments, virtual CISO (vCISO) support, IT general controls audits, WISP development, and compliance assistance for frameworks like CMMC, DFARS, and FTC Safeguards.

Which industries does OCD Tech serve?

OCD Tech specializes in serving highly regulated sectors such as financial services, government, higher education, auto dealerships, enterprise organizations, and not-for-profits throughout New England.

How long does an IT security assessment take?

Typically, OCD Tech’s on-site work spans 1–2 days, depending on complexity and number of sites, followed by 1–2 weeks of analysis and reporting to deliver clear, actionable recommendations.

Why should I get SOC 2 compliant?

SOC 2 reporting demonstrates to clients and prospects that an organization follows best-in-class controls over security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy—boosting trust, meeting RFP/due diligence requirements, and helping secure contracts. OCD Tech helps organizations achieve and maintain this compliance.

Can OCD Tech help me with federal cybersecurity regulations?

Yes—OCD Tech provides guidance for compliance with DFARS (NIST 800‑171), CMMC (Levels 1–3), and FTC Safeguards, ensuring organizations meet specific government or industry-based cybersecurity mandates.

What is a virtual CISO (vCISO), and do I need one?

A virtual CISO delivers strategic, executive-level cybersecurity leadership as a service. OCD Tech’s vCISO service is ideal for organizations lacking a full-time CISO and helps build programs, define policy, oversee risk, and guide security maturity.

Does OCD Tech offer ongoing security training or audits for staff?

Absolutely. OCD Tech provides tailored internal IT Audit training and security awareness sessions, plus annual reviews of Written Information Security Programs (WISP), such as Massachusetts 201 CMR 17 and other state or industry-specific controls.

Audit. Security. Assurance.

IT Audit | Cybersecurity | IT Assurance | IT Security Consultants – OCD Tech is a technology consulting firm serving the IT security and consulting needs of businesses in Boston (MA), Braintree (MA) and across New England. We primarily serve Fortune 500 companies including auto dealers, financial institutions, higher education, government contractors, and not-for-profit organizations with SOC 2 reporting, CMMC readiness, IT Security Audits, Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Assessments. We also provide dark web monitoring, DFARS compliance, and IT general controls review.

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