SECURITY
Securing the future of health care Alex Nehmy*
T
he healthcare industry is undergoing the greatest revolution since the invention of the hospital — the digital revolution. In the 1960s and 70s, we witnessed the introduction of digital medical devices such as digital infusion pumps, electrocardiogram machines and CT scanners. Fast forward more than five decades and the medical devices critical in providing patients with positive health outcomes have evolved into sophisticated computer systems. However, the technology also has inherent weaknesses as it often contains vulnerabilities 12
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compromised the data of over 36 million members — around a third of the country’s population — but it raised concerns about the cybersecurity vulnerabilities within the healthcare sector.
that cybercriminals can exploit or maliciously modify. A vulnerable medical device could be rendered unusable, preventing it from functioning at all, or modified to cause a malfunction. In the case of a digital ventilator or an infusion pump delivering life-saving medication, it is likely to be fatal.
We are entering a new era where digital medical devices deliver transformative healthcare potential. However, threat actors can also turn these very devices against us. The healthcare sector must, therefore, look at how it can safeguard the cybersecurity of digital medical devices.
This is not theoretical — there are a number of cybercriminal groups already targeting healthcare organisations. Ransomware group Medusa, which in May attacked NSW Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, recently targeted Philippine state health insurer PhilHealth. This not only
The pandemic accelerated the pace of digital transformation in health care, with the rise of telemedicine and remote health care. In Australia, digital health is poised to grow into a $10.96 billion-dollar industry by 2030, driven by paradigm shifts in the industry, public sector initiatives and an aging population.
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