You are responsible for security at a hospital. Since many computers are accessed by multiple employees 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, controlling physical access to computers is very difficult…

Question

Options

• AThe use of CHAP.
• BTime of day restrictions.
• CThe use of smart cards.
• DVideo surveillance of all computers.

• A
  13% (2)
• B
  19% (3)
• C
  63% (10)
• D
  6% (1)

Explanation

Smart cards (C) directly address the core problem: proving who is accessing a computer in a shared, high-traffic environment. A smart card requires physical possession of the card plus a PIN, providing two-factor authentication that ties access to a specific individual regardless of when or where they log in - critical for HIPAA audit trails.

Why the others fall short:

• A (CHAP) is a challenge-handshake authentication protocol used for network/remote access authentication, not for controlling who sits down at a physical workstation.
• B (Time of day restrictions) won't help when the problem explicitly states the hospital operates 24/7 - restricting hours would block legitimate staff.
• D (Video surveillance) is detective, not preventive - it records unauthorized access after the fact but does nothing to stop it.

Memory tip: Think "smart card = smart identity." When physical access can't be controlled, you control identity instead - smart cards make every login personally accountable, which is exactly what patient record protection requires.

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