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Rattled by Cyberattacks, Hospitals Push Device Makers to Improve Security


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A nurse adjusts settings on a bedside patient monitor.

U.S. hospitals are testing specific devices for weaknesses, and asking manufacturers to reveal the proprietary software running the products in order to identify vulnerabilities.

Credit: Stephanie Aaronson/The Wall Street Journal

With cyberattacks against Internet-connected medical devices on the rise, hospitals and health systems in the U.S. are pressuring device manufacturers to bolster their products' safety, and asking them to disclose their proprietary software.

Stephanie Domas of cybersecurity consultancy MedSec said hospitals lack sufficient information about the security of networked devices, and manufacturers do not always release timely software updates to patch bugs.

Security experts noted some manufacturers have started helping hospitals shield devices from cyberattack by including new features and revealing more about their products.

According to hospital technology officials, having access to devices' software would help them construct safeguards.

From The Wall Street Journal
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Abstracts Copyright © 2019 SmithBucklin, Washington, DC, USA


 

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