Relax. You’re Not Being Hacked. But Your Privacy Setup Is Still a Mess.

Take a deep breath.
No one is lurking in your inbox, your laptop isn’t possessed, and that one weird pop-up probably isn’t the beginning of an international cyber incident. 

But…
Your privacy setup?
Yeah, it could use a little love. And by “a little love,” I mean: it’s giving DIY Ikea furniture missing three screws.

Most small and mid-sized businesses (especially busy healthcare practices) don’t realize that the biggest risks aren’t dramatic Hollywood-style hacks. They’re the everyday things everyone ignores because they’re “too small to matter.” Spoiler: those tiny things accumulate, link arms, and become the privacy version of a slow-motion disaster.

Let’s review a few classics:

1. Outdated Policies You Forgot Existed

If your privacy policy still mentions technologies you stopped using during the last presidential administration, it’s time.
No shame. Happens to the best of us.
But regulators don’t accept “Oops, I forgot” as a legal defense.

2. Staff Who Were Trained Once… Five Years Ago

Bless them. They’re doing their best.
But privacy training is not like riding a bike. You don’t just remember it forever.
Annual refreshers = fewer incidents, fewer headaches, fewer “Wait, we can’t just email that?” moments.

3. Vendors You Trust a Little Too Much

Your EHR, your marketing tools, your scheduling software… all great.
But if you haven’t checked what data they collect, store, or sell since signing the contract, congratulations: you now have mystery risks.

4. Data You’re Keeping for No Reason Whatsoever

Listen. I know deleting things is emotional.
But keeping unnecessary data “just in case” is how breaches go from annoying to catastrophic.
If you don’t need it, let it go, Elsa-style.

5. “We’ll Fix It Later” Settings That Never Got Fixed

You meant to set up MFA.
You meant to tighten access.
You meant to turn off that feature that feels vaguely creepy.
You meant well, but the internet does not reward good intentions.

So… Are You Being Hacked?

Probably... not.
Is your privacy program working as flawlessly as you hope?
Also no.

The good news? Getting your data in order doesn’t require perfection or a 300-page manual. It just takes a clear strategy, a few smart fixes, and someone who speaks privacy in human, which is exactly what we do.

If you’re ready for fewer surprises and more confidence, check out our Privacy Starter Kit or the Self-Service Privacy Audit. (Your future self and your future audit will thank you.)