External and internal system vulnerabilities are different, and different scans are required to detect them.
Jay Atkinson, CEO of AIS Network in McLean, Va.: To prevent the security breaches that lead to cyber theft, plan to thoroughly scan your firewalls, networks and open ports for weaknesses. Do this on a regular basis and after any major alterations or upgrades to your network. Run internal and external network vulnerability scans, because the vulnerabilities discovered within typically differ from those discovered outside. Score the vulnerabilities in terms of mild to highly critical and then address them in order of priority. If you need help, ask your IT auditor or a HIPAA-compliant managed services provider.