Yes, most are. Experts are warning about how easy it is for hackers to access medical devices and put patient safety at risk.
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Why is it so easy for them to hack devices?
Many medical devices are designed using open-source code, which is easily hacked by malware.
Clearly, this is a serious problem as it could potentially have life and death consequences for patients.
Hospitals and physician offices keep their medical devices for 10 or 15 years, which is many lifetimes in regards to technology and cybersecurity.
Further, most medical devices are outdated by the time they get to the market because the base on which they developed their program is often outdated during the process of creation.
One prevalent concern is that hackers will use information and control of medical devices as leverage to ransom a large fee from the hospital.
Should you worry about your medical devices?
Yes, this is a huge concern for patients and practices alike.
The FDA is working to combat this potential problem, however many experts argue that they are not working fast enough.
We help to advise our clients of serious hacking risks and put in place measures to prevent against the risks.
This problem is expected to get worse as hackers realize the potential money making ability of ransoming patient health and safety.
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