Medical device threats increasingly disrupt healthcare systems

Infosecurity Magazine reports that medical device-targeted cyberattacks have impacted 24% of healthcare organizations in the U.S., UK, and Germany over the past 12 months.

Moderate to significant damage to patient care was observed in 80% of such incidents, according to a RunSafe Security report. While AI is now widely used in the healthcare sector, organizations continue to be concerned about cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities. In response to this growing concern, most healthcare organizations now invest in cybersecurity across procurement and operations, but outdated and unsupported devices continue to pose security risks.

Medical device manufacturers recently affected in these cyberattacks include Medtronic, which was allegedly extorted by ShinyHunters, and Stryker, which was hit by the Iran-backed Handala group. "The findings land against a backdrop of large-scale healthcare cyber incidents that have disrupted care delivery and revenue flows, underscoring how quickly attacks on device-adjacent systems can translate into patient harm," stated RunSafe Security CEO Joseph Saunders.

Written by

Kelley Damore Chief Content Officer CyberRisk Alliance

Kelley Damore is Chief Content Officer at CyberRisk Alliance, where she leads content strategy across the company’s digital brands, research, communities and live events serving CISOs and security practitioners. At CyberRisk Alliance, she is focused on delivering 365-day engagement, trusted journalism and actionable insights to help security leaders navigate an increasingly complex threat landscape.