Framework reference / U.S. electronic health information

HIPAA Security Rule Reference

The HIPAA Security Rule establishes national standards for protecting electronic protected health information (ePHI) handled by covered entities and their business associates.

Scope

The rule is risk-based, scalable, and technology-neutral. It requires reasonable and appropriate administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of ePHI.

Core structure

01

Scope and risk analysis

Identify ePHI, systems, threats, vulnerabilities, and reasonable safeguards.

02

Administrative safeguards

Manage security, workforce access, training, incidents, contingency, and evaluation.

03

Physical safeguards

Control facilities, workstations, devices, and media containing ePHI.

04

Technical safeguards

Apply access control, audit controls, integrity protection, authentication, and transmission security.

05

Business associates

Use appropriate agreements and oversight where service providers handle ePHI.

06

Documentation

Maintain policies, decisions, assessments, and evidence required for the regulated environment.

Operational evidence examples

Documented ePHI scope, risk analysis, and risk-management decisions
Access authorization, termination, authentication, and periodic reviews
Audit logs, security incidents, investigations, and response records
Contingency plans, backup and restoration tests, and evaluations
Business associate agreements, training, and policy acknowledgements

How ShadowCore uses this reference

Support local or hybrid data boundaries for sensitive workloads
Enforce least privilege, approvals, and separation of duties
Provide audit logging, incident reconstruction, and evidence export
Keep regulated actions subject to organization-defined human authority

Boundaries and claims

ShadowCore does not claim HIPAA compliance or certify a deployment.

HIPAA applicability, required safeguards, contracts, and implementation decisions must be assessed by the covered entity or business associate with qualified advisers.

Official source: HHS — HIPAA Security Rule
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Public reference material for product design and readiness planning. It is not legal advice, certification, or an independent assessment.