Introduction: Connected Care at a Cost
In recent years, the healthcare sector has seen rapid growth in the number of IoMT networked medical devices like monitors and imaging systems, that have ultimately expanded the attack surface that healthcare facilities now have to monitor. One remarkable fact is that according to DeepStrike, 99% of hospitals have at least one IoMT device with a known exploited vulnerability. These expanded attack surfaces for healthcare pose a direct risk to patient safety and compliance for facilities.
So what exactly does IoMT refer to? Internet of Medical Things refers to medical-grade devices that collect, process and transmit patient data. Some examples include smart diagnostic tools, smart pacemakers, and remote monitoring tools used in telehealth. These devices are used to ease the pressure on healthcare workers and systems by digitizing patient information for better data accessibility and analysis.
IoMT medical devices that send personal health information (PHI) must adhere to strict privacy regulations as security breaches could expose patient data and interrupt treatment and care. Endpoint security is vital for protecting this technology and for continued patient care.
Vulnerabilities Beyond the Monitor
While recent headlines have centered on exposed patient monitors, the reality is that cybersecurity threats go far beyond just one category of device. From smart infusion pumps to imaging systems, the ecosystem of IoMT devices is littered with vulnerabilities, many of which go unpatched for long periods of time.
According to Kanda Software, these devices often run on outdated operating systems, lack encryption, and are rarely segmented from broader hospital networks. More so, many were never designed with cybersecurity in mind. Their firmware is difficult to update, and vendors don’t always provide timely patches or vulnerability disclosures.
This isn’t just a theoretical risk. IoMT devices are increasingly being used as entry points for security breaches, and in many cases these devices don’t generate security logs, making them harder to monitor. That means hospitals may be under attack and not even know it until it’s too late.
Why Traditional Tools Fall Short
Most traditional security tools were never built to protect medical grade devices. Firewalls and antivirus solutions may protect standard endpoints like laptops or desktops, but they fall short when applied to IoMT devices that operate on legacy protocols and communicate over specialized networks.
These devices need 24/7 visibility, threat, and anomaly detection all working as one cohesive tool to be secured properly. Unfortunately, many healthcare organizations still rely on fragmented tools that don’t talk to each other or provide a unified view of security risks. Even more concerning is that many hospitals lack the resources for around-the-clock monitoring.
What Healthcare Providers Should Do Now
Securing IoMT devices isn’t just about adding another tool to the stack, it’s about creating a cohesive and proactive strategy for the risks these devices pose.
Start with visibility. Conduct an inventory of all connected medical devices across your environment. You can’t secure what you don’t know you have. Then assess each device’s current security posture. Are they running on outdated firmware? Are there known vulnerabilities that haven’t been patched?
Next, network segmentation is critical. Isolating IoMT devices from general IT infrastructure reduces the blast radius of an attack. Implementing strict access controls and monitoring traffic between segmented zones helps prevent any lateral movement.
Lastly, 24/7 monitoring and threat/anomaly detection are must-haves. Static security measures can’t keep up with the dynamic nature of modern threats. What’s needed is continuous behavioral analysis that can flag unusual patterns.
Don’t Wait Until the Headlines Include Your Facility
The warnings are clear. Vulnerabilities in patient monitors, infusion pumps, and other connected medical devices are no longer isolated cases, they represent a growing pattern of risk across the healthcare industry. And with attacks evolving faster than traditional tools can detect them, organizations need to shift from reactive defense to proactive resilience. The cost of inaction isn’t just data loss or downtime, it’s patient trust, regulatory exposure, and even safety.
Now is the time to evaluate your IoMT security posture, close the gaps, and partner with a provider who understands healthcare’s unique challenges.
