Introduction
Medical device security solutions are becoming increasingly crucial as cyber security becomes an ever greater worry; for healthcare professionals, medical device makers, government regulators, and patients alike. The evolution of medical technology in recent decades has seen a boom in the usage of medical devices, from single-purpose medical diagnostic gadgets to complex, networked systems that are connected to increasing healthcare ecosystems. However, with more connected devices, comes a greater chance of malicious assault, with potentially devastating repercussions.
Medical device security solutions exist to defend these devices from assault and to maintain them as safe and secure as possible to ensure the safety of patients. These solutions are often a combination of technology, risk management, and security best practices, meant to prevent an attack, identify an attack if it occurs, and remediate or respond to any attack that does manage to take place.
The most established firms specializing in medical device security solutions include GE Healthcare, Philips Healthcare, Honeywell Health, and Maquet/Getinge Group. These firms have a comprehensive range of products and services, including device hardening, frequent security audits, and software-level monitoring and remediation for medical device networks. They also offer various security certifications, such as the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) certification and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) certification, which can be used by healthcare providers and medical device manufacturers to ensure their medical devices comply with the most demanding security standards.
Medical device security has been emphasized recently by several international conferences and events. HIMSS Global Health Conference and Exhibition is the largest healthcare IT event in the world, and it also features multiple sessions focused on medical device security. It is often followed by MEDSec, a specific conference on medical device security, with talks addressing subjects such as device vulnerabilities, risk assessments, software assurance, and risk management.
As the security of medical devices becomes a growing area of concern, there is likely to be an increase in the number of training and certification options for those interested in the subject of medical device security. HIMSS offers a basic certification program for medical device security, and there are also courses available from industry groups and private universities, such as the Medical Device Security and Vulnerability Assessment course from the Wi-Fi Alliance, or the Healthcare Cybersecurity course from George Washington University.
The future of medical device security solutions promises to be a lively, fast-evolving field. With rising risks such as IoT-powered malicious assaults, as well as the continuous emphasis on providing safe and reliable healthcare services, medical device security solutions are projected to see substantial growth in the future years. This is anticipated to be accompanied by a growth in the available job roles, ranging from security auditors to software developers, as medical device producers, healthcare providers, and government institutions all want to secure the security of their networks and equipment.