Security Challenges for Medical Devices

Information Technology (IT) security is essential for any business or organization, including healthcare. This sector poses additional challenges due to the sensitivity of health records, the increasing interoperability of medical devices, and simply the fact that human well-being and life are at stake. Implantable devices are especially critical, as they may potentially put patients in life-threatening situations when not properly secured. Medical devices are becoming noticeably important for millions of patients worldwide. Their increasing dependence on software and interoperability with other devices via wireless communication and the Internet has increasingly put security at the forefront. In this paper, the key issues that motivate research in medical device security are identified. Major challenges are presented along with an illustrative example. A stage is thus set to spur research and development in this life-critical area of technology.