From time to time, customers and prospects ask about Amazon CloudFront and whether or not Amazon Web Services supports it as a HIPAA compliant service.
We know the HIPAA industry is vast so we can empathize with just how many people need to use cloud-based services in this sector.
In previous posts, we’ve covered the following cloud providers and their capabilities for HIPAA compliance:
The purpose of this post is to determine if Amazon CloudFront offers HIPAA compliance or not.
SEE ALSO: HIPAA Breaches and Cloud Providers
About Amazon CloudFront
Amazon CloudFront is a web service that speeds up distribution of static and dynamic web content. CloudFront delivers content through a worldwide network of data centers called edge locations. It’s a service that’s known as a Content Delivery Network (CDN).
Amazon CloudFront and the Business Associate Agreement
We’ve previously talked about how a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) is a written contract between a Covered Entity and a Business Associate. HIPAA compliance requires it by law.
We checked Amazon’s AWS Documentation site and found a Developer Guide article called CloudFront Compliance.
In the article, Amazon points out:
“AWS has expanded its HIPAA compliance program to include CloudFront as a HIPAA Eligible Service. If you have an executed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with AWS, you can use CloudFront to deliver content containing protected health information (PHI).”
Does Amazon CloudFront Offer HIPAA Compliant Service?
The Business Associate Agreement is a key component to HIPAA compliance between a Covered Entity and a Business Associate. Since Amazon offers one that covers Amazon CloudFront, we conclude that Amazon CloudFront is a HIPAA compliant service.
It’s important to note however, you must sign a BAA with Amazon to be HIPAA compliant.
Conclusion: Amazon CloudFront is HIPAA Compliant. Make sure you sign a BAA with Amazon.
SEE ALSO: HIPAA Breaches and Cloud Providers
