Cybersecurity ‘more critical than ever’ in era of connected care: BD

The device maker’s annual report on the state of healthcare cybersecurity calls for better transparency and coordination across the industry. According to a new report from medtech company Becton Dickinson, sophisticated cyber threats targeting the healthcare sector are on the rise at a time when more connected medical devices are making their way into patient homes, increasing the need for strong preventive practises and industry collaboration to thwart attacks. In its third annual cybersecurity report, released on Wednesday, BD stated that ransomware, phishing, and software vulnerabilities are among the biggest challenges facing medtech manufacturers, hospitals, labs, and pharmacies, as well as patients' homes where software-enabled medical devices are used. The research stated that as the number of smart, connected devices rises and healthcare enters more care settings, including patient homes, "medical device cybersecurity has become more important than ever." Devices are used to spread knowledge and safeguard patients. Hospitals can protect their facilities from cyber attacks by implementing the following security measures:

1. Encrypting sensitive data
2. Regularly updating software and systems
3. Implementing strong password policies
4. Providing employee training on cybersecurity best practices
5. Regularly backing up critical data
6. Conducting regular security assessments and penetration testing
7. Restricting access to sensitive systems and data
8. Implementing multi-factor authentication
9. Working with a reputable security solutions provider
10. Having an incident response plan in place.