Assessing IoT Risks in Healthcare Environments

Healthcare organizations should steer clear of connecting internet of things devices to their networks unless they serve a precise medical purpose, says attorney Julia Hesse.

“There was a rise a few years ago … of internet connected light bulbs and internet connected beds,” she notes in an interview with Information Security Media Group. “From our perspective, the security risks associated with allowing that type of networked device outweigh the patient care benefits, at least until those products have more robust security provisions.”

If healthcare entities prefer not to ban all nonmedical IoT devices from their environments, it’s essential that they closely scrutinize the security risks, Hesse advises.

“We’re seeing regulators expecting healthcare providers to be monitoring all of the traffic on their networks and conducting security assessments associated with that network traffic,” the attorney notes.