Medical imaging devices have greatly improved patient care and become a critical part of modern medical treatment. But, these devices weren’t always connected in ways they are today. Today’s tools are digital, networked with other devices and can be reached through a computer workstation. As such, more cyber threats can pose harm. So how can equipment makers and users build better cybersecurity for healthcare into imaging equipment?
One problem that prevents inclusion of security in the early stages of these machines’ creation is the length of their lifecycle. Medical imaging equipment, such as MRI, ultrasound and CT scan machines, are built to last at least 10 years. Many units remain in operation well beyond 10 years. New medical imaging devices take many years to develop and are subject to regulatory approval along the way. The typical development cycle can span three to seven years, and often the makers of the machines do not build with cybersecurity in mind.
Cyber threats, however, evolve rapidly. And, healthcare is a major target for threats. Attackers have tried ransomware, distributed denial-of-service attack (DDoS) attacks, insider threats, data breaches, email-based scams and phishing attacks. In addition, healthcare data breaches are ranked as the costliest in the 2020 IBM Security Cost of a Data Breach report. Furthermore, the human cost of a cyberattack is key; patients and their electronic medical records have been directly affected as a result of cyberattacks on healthcare organizations.
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