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IP Address Rules

Introduction​

As data security becomes increasingly critical in the healthcare industry, companies must take measures to ensure that their sensitive data is protected from unauthorized access. One valuable and important way to achieve this is by implementing IP address restrictions, a feature supported by Medplum, a SaaS application that manages healthcare data. This article will discuss the benefits of IP address restrictions and provide a step-by-step guide on configuring these settings in Medplum's AccessPolicy.

Importance of IP Address Restrictions​

IP address restrictions provide an additional layer of security by limiting access to your healthcare application based on the user's IP address. This ensures that only users from approved locations or networks can access the application, reducing the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches. Moreover, IP address restrictions can be an essential component of regulatory compliance for healthcare organizations, helping them adhere to strict data security requirements.

Setting Up IP Address Restrictions in Medplum​

To configure IP address restrictions in Medplum, follow the steps below:

  1. Log in to your Medplum account as a project administrator
  2. Navigate to the AccessPolicy page (i.e., https://app.medplum.com/AccessPolicy)
  3. Select an existing AccessPolicy or click "New..." to create a new one
  4. Scroll down to the section labeled "IP Access Rules"
  5. In the "IP Access Rules" section, you can add "allow" and "block" rules based on IP addresses

The rules are evaluated sequentially until a matching rule is found. To effectively restrict access, start by specifying a series of "allow" rules for the desired IP addresses or IP address ranges.

Once you have specified all the "allow" rules, add a wildcard "block" rule at the end to block all other IP addresses. To do this, use an asterisk (*) as the value for the "block" rule.

Please note that only IPv4 IP addresses are supported, and partial IP addresses can be used for matching. For example, specifying the value "8.8." would match "8.8.8.8" but would not match "8.7.8.8".

Conclusion​

By implementing IP address restrictions in Medplum, healthcare organizations can enhance their data security and ensure that only authorized users have access to sensitive information. This not only safeguards patient data but also helps organizations maintain regulatory compliance. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can configure IP address restrictions in Medplum's AccessPolicy, providing an added layer of protection for your healthcare data.