The future is tech, but that doesn’t mean the future isn’t frightening. After examining 10 million devices at over 300 healthcare facilities, cybersecurity company Cynerio found that 50% of internet-connected devices within hospitals are susceptible to hacking.
Analysis from The Verge found that infusion pumps are the most likely internet devices to be hacked. Making matters worse, they are also one of them most commonly found devices in everyday hospitals. Often times, infusion pumps use electronic medical records to distribute the correct amount of fluids or medication to a patients. In the event that these devices are compromised, the wrong amount of fluids or medication could be supplied to a patient.
The biggest cybersecurity threat facing healthcare facilities are ransom attacks. In certain instances, hackers will break into hospital’s internet systems, lock down its electronic records and demand a ransom for their release. If healthcare facilities do not rid their systems of these hackers or meet their demands, they’re nearly unable to perform essential functions to serve patients.
Fortunately, it does appear that there are clear fixes to these attacks. Cynerio notes that many systems and devices are susceptible to these attacks due to weak passwords or ignored recall notices.
