NetSuite HIPAA Compliance
StratoKey's Cloud Data Protection (CDP) platform provides comprehensive HIPAA compliance for NetSuite®. Organizations deploying StratoKey CDP gain granular control over their data security through FIPS-validated field-level encryption and data tokenization that secures Protected Health Information (PHI) stored within NetSuite. This encryption, paired with monitoring, audit logs, security rule and policy enforcement, assists organizations in meeting HIPAA Safe Harbor requirements and adheres to the recommendations from the Department of Health and Human Services for the protection of PHI.
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Meet HIPAA Compliance Requirements for NetSuite
NetSuite offers powerful tools for healthcare organizations, but managing protected health information (PHI) within the platform brings unique HIPAA compliance challenges. Safeguarding individual health data is essential, and while NetSuite may sign a BAA, this alone does not guarantee compliance (see PHI encryption requirements) or secure your sensitive data against third-party breaches. StratoKey enhances security and compliance by providing granular control and visibility over access to HIPAA-protected data, meeting both HIPAA and HIPAA Encryption Safe Harbor requirements.
Securing PHI in NetSuite With End-to-End Field-Level Encryption
StratoKey's CDP platform provides seamless end-to-end field-level encryption for NetSuite fields and files. This integration ensures that PHI is secured before it leaves your environment and gives you control over who can access PHI.
HIPAA Compliance and Encryption
The HIPAA Security Rule identifies safeguards to protect ePHI. Encryption is defined as an "addressable" safeguard, one that HHS believes would be appropriate for all regulated entities to have already implemented.
"...would be reasonable and appropriate for regulated entities to implement a mechanism to encrypt ePHI, and regulated entities should already have done so in most circumstances."
- Department of Health and Human Services
Encryption, a Required Safeguard?
The 2025 HIPAA NPRM proposes making encryption of ePHI mandatory, replacing the current addressable standard. For NetSuite users, this means FIPS validated end-to-end encryption may soon be essential for compliance. StratoKey helps organizations meet these requirements by delivering robust, integrated encryption and granular access controls for ePHI within NetSuite.
Encryption Safe Harbor for NetSuite
StratoKey can assist with Encryption Safe Harbor and Cybersecurity Safe Harbor by rendering PHI destined for NetSuite unusable, unreadable, or indecipherable to unauthorized individuals with end-to-end field-level encryption.
Encryption Safe Harbor
Under the HITECH Act “safe harbor” for encrypted ePHI, means a breach notification is not required if data is rendered unusable, unreadable, or indecipherable to unauthorized individuals. NetSuite does not natively support HIPAA Safe Harbor requirements. StratoKey can assist by encrypting ePHI end-to-end at the field level, to meet HIPAA Safe Harbor requirements.
Cybersecurity Safe Harbor
The HIPAA Safe Harbor Law (HR 7898, 2021) incentivizes organizations to implement “recognized security practices” with possible reductions in penalties if these measures have been maintained for at least 12 months. StratoKey can assist NetSuite users with cybersecurity safe harbor as it secures ePHI with NIST-standard encryption, a recognized security practice.
Compliance 360 Gaps for HIPAA Compliance?
NetSuite Compliance 360 is a NetSuite add on that logs user activity related to customer records. Compliance 360 is not designed to secure access to PHI with field-level and file encryption, but simply monitors it. There are also limitations to what it monitors. This can present HIPAA compliance monitoring gaps for organizations with customizations or integrations in their NetSuite environment. It also does not provide any encryption of ePHI in NetSuite.
- Does not log activity related to emails, file storage, mobile app activity, SuiteScripts, custom records, custom fields, third-party applications, and exported data.
- Does not secure ePHI with end-to-end field level encryption or provide encryption key separation.
- Does not utilize NIST standard FIPS validated encryption libraries.
StratoKey Helps Organizations Meet HIPAA Requirements
NetSuite and Compliance 360 does not provide the field-level and file encryption needed for full HIPAA compliance. Compliance 360 also lacks full support for customized NetSuite environments, which many organizations utilize. StratoKey addresses these gaps with NIST-standard (FIPS-validated) encryption, tokenization, and advanced monitoring and audit features tailored for even the most complex NetSuite environments.
- Does not just monitor PHI access, secures it with end-to-end field-level encryption and tokenization.
- Monitoring and audit capabilities across complex NetSuite environments.
- Can complement NetSuite Compliance 360 by securing PHI with end-to-end encryption, preparing organizations for the NPRM and mandatory encryption.
- Helps organizations meet standard NIST Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems, such as NIST 800-66r2, and NIST 800-53.
StratoKey is Your Complete Cloud Data Protection Stack to Help Meet HIPAA Technical Safeguards in NetSuite
StratoKey helps implement Technical Safeguards for the protection of ePHI. These extend beyond encryption to encompass access control, monitoring, audit capabilities, security analysis, and defensive security policies. This is provided in a scalable, high-throughput deployment that requires no end-point configuration. StratoKey is completely seamless and does not interfere with or interrupt your NetSuite workflows or user experience.
End-to-End Field-Level Encryption for NetSuite
Secures ePHI in fields and files with FIPS-validated encryption before it leaves your environment, ensuring protection throughout its entire lifecycle.
Access Control for PHI in NetSuite
Implements user authentication, group policy enforcement, and advanced controls such as device profiling and security monitoring to ensure only authorized access to PHI.
Audit Controls for PHI in NetSuite
Logs all user activity involving secured PHI to meet HIPAA audit requirements and facilitate swift incident response.
Monitoring & Policy Enforcement
Provides analytics and enforces security policies instantly to detect and block unauthorized access or data misuse of PHI.
StratoKey's NetSuite Integration Features for HIPAA Compliance
StratoKey enables HIPAA compliance within NetSuite by securing protected health information (PHI). When properly configured, these features help ensure that only authorized personnel can access PHI in your NetSuite environment, supporting your organization’s efforts to meet HIPAA’s data privacy and security requirements.
- Granular field-level encryption for NetSuite.
- Future-proof regulatory compliance by meeting the soon-to-be "required" encryption standard for PHI in NetSuite.
- Achieve HIPAA Encryption Safe Harbor by ensuring that PHI destined for NetSuite is encrypted throughout its entire lifecycle.
- Reduce NetSuite breach impact through comprehensive safeguards aligned with the shared responsibility model.
- Encryption key separation from NetSuite aligning with HIPAA and safe harbor requirements.
- Encryption system managed at arms-length from NetSuite.
- Meet a wide range of technical safeguards with audit capabilities, access management, monitoring and security controls for NetSuite.
- Tokenization to onshore PHI when operating across jurisdictional boundaries.
- Meet NIST cybersecurity standards such as NIST 800-66r2, NIST 800-53 and NIST 800-171.
- Single sign on support for a seamless user experience.
- Zero end-point-configuration, with no user level installation.
- Support for NetSuite workflows, SuiteScripts and File Cabinet.
Health Technology Company Using NetSuite for PHI
HIPAA Challenge
The health technology company faces significant challenges: NetSuite does not natively offer NIST standard field-level encryption or advanced access controls required for full HIPAA compliance. Compliance 360 does not meet their monitoring and audit log requirements as custom records, custom fields, and the NetSuite file cabinet are in use.
StratoKey Solution
To address these gaps, the organization implements StratoKey. StratoKey provides FIPS-validated encryption end-to-end for both their custom records, data fields, and files, ensuring that ePHI is secured before it leaves their control (local environment) and remains protected throughout its lifecycle. StratoKey also enforces strong user authentication, monitors all user activity, and maintains comprehensive audit logs for their more complex NetSuite environment. The organization also has a number of third-party services integrated with NetSuite. StratoKey data protection maintains HIPAA compliance with these integrations. This supports HIPAA’s audit and access requirements and also meets HIPAA encryption safe harbor for ePHI.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Is StratoKey different from Compliance 360?
NetSuite Compliance 360 is focused on logging and monitoring user activities, not encrypting data.
Moreover Compliance 360 only logs user activity related to customer records, omitting essential areas such as emails, file storage, mobile app activity, SuiteScript automation, integrations, third-party applications, exported data, and custom records or fields - this presents HIPAA compliance issues.
StratoKey offers a complete toolkit through its CDP platform that directly assists in complying with HIPAA Security Rules without omitting essential areas.
Can NetSuite meet HIPAA Safe Harbor requirements?
No, NetSuite does not meet HIPAA Safe Harbor requirements that would exempt an organization from breach notification obligations.
While recent versions and healthcare-specific editions of NetSuite offer improved HIPAA compliance features, including tools for privacy and security, they do not natively provide the end-to-end, FIPS-validated encryption for both fields and files (at rest and in transit) required by HIPAA Safe Harbor.
StratoKey is specifically designed to deliver the necessary field-level and file encryption, tokenization, and key management that enable organizations to meet HIPAA Safe Harbor and avoid mandatory breach notification if encrypted data is compromised.
Does NetSuite natively offer field-level encryption?
No, NetSuite does not natively support user-configurable field-level encryption. While it encrypts sensitive system fields (like passwords and payment data), actual field-level encryption that you control requires a third-party tool like StratoKey CDP platform.
NetSuite offers limited database encryption of customized fields with no encryption key separation. This is not best practice for HIPAA data as it does not protect sensitive data from unauthorized user access, insider threats, or satisfy all compliance requirements that demand strict end-to-end encryption controls and separated key management.
Is NetSuite already HIPAA compliant?
Out-of-the-box, no NetSuite is not HIPAA compliant.
Achieving full HIPAA compliance requires additional controls, third-party tools, and careful configuration beyond NetSuite’s native pre-configured capabilities.
It's important to note that HIPAA has a shared responsibility model. The customer is required, under HIPAA, to ensure that there are no gaps in compliance.
With StratoKey organizations can encrypt and tokenize sensitive data destined for NetSuite inclusive of NetSuite file cabinet, workflows and integrations, offering complete HIPAA compliance coverage.