Medical devices are becoming more and more interconnected. Being able to establish and maintain healthcare IoT and connected medical device security is no longer just something that’s “nice to have.” Medical device network segmentation, particularly in hospital settings, is a must in order to protect critical equipment from cybersecurity threats.
At the core of this level of protection is the zero trust model: a framework that assumes that one must “never trust, and always verify” rather than assuming that any network access or connection is, by default, safe. With the zero trust framework, everyone and everything is a potential threat until proven otherwise. This helps make sure that only authorized medical devices can access mission-critical clinical and medical networks and systems.
With this model in mind, what’s the best approach to medical device segmentation? In this article, we’ll break down the best methods to keep crucial medical devices safe without affecting clinical or hospital operations.
Detailed Device Profiling
The first step in securing all of the interconnected medical devices in a hospital setting is to have a foundational baseline of what you’re working with. That means being able to quickly and efficiently discover and profile all connected medical devices and capturing all relevant information about them, including:
- Model and manufacturer
- Operating system
- Software and firmware
- Vendor
- Device utilization
- Network services
- Network traffic patterns and more
Having this level of granular detail about each device provides a starting point for medical device and network segmentation policies that can be tailored to each device based on its risk level and function.
Clinical Workflows and Communication Patterns
Taking the next step in accurate medical device network segmentation means understanding how different devices communicate and depending on clincal systems and other infrastructure with a clinical setting. It’s important to make sure that implementing solid security processes doesn’t disrupt patient care or impact operations. For this reason, the platform you choose must be able to account for the specific functions and needs of various devices while still paving the way for security policies that make sense.
Automated Policy Generation
There is no “one size fits all” security policy that works for all devices all the time, even within a zero trust framework. Through machine learning and behavioral analysis, today’s cutting-edge cybersecurity platforms for healthcare must take into account what kinds of device communications are required, and automatically create policies to secure them.
Automated policy generation and handling not only reduces the risk of human error but also helps make sure that the policies that are in place are designed to adapt to the fast and ever-changing healthcare setting
Zero Trust Support
Having a granular device segmentation system in place along with zero trust support offers a double-pronged plan of attack in case of potential cybersecurity threats. For one, assuming everything is a potential threat before allowing communication helps minimize the impact of a threat before it even enters the system.
Secondly, by segmenting medical devices and having policies in place backed by zero trust, even if a threat does manage to seep in, its movement is quickly restricted, which in turn bolsters overall security policies as part of the hospital’s overall infrastructure.
The Smart Solution: Device Profiling
Device profiling is at the heart of Cylera’s approach to hospital cybersecurity. Instead of treating each device using a generic strategy, every piece of medical equipment, from ventilators to infusion pumps, is properly profiled. This, in turn, allows for more finely-tuned security policies that respect each device’s unique functions and protect them without interfering with their ability to deliver patient care.
With a combination of deep device profiling and a thorough understanding of clinical workflows and contexts, Cylera ensures that devices can communicate without slowing down or impacting operations. Think of it as having a fully mapped out, two-way communication street that’s fully protected yet still delivers the rapid, dynamic response and functionality that the healthcare setting demands. In short, the perfect balance between protection and functionality.
At the same time, no IT department has time to constantly create and amend countless individual security policies. For this reason, Cylera uses cutting edge behavioral analysis and machine learning to draft individual security policies based on network activity and device behaviors. As every network and every device is different, the system learns quickly and adapts dynamically to deploy security policies that are in step with the speed of the organization as a whole.
All of these approaches and strategies are backed by the foundation of zero trust, which aims to contain and prevent widespread damage before it becomes a serious breach. Hospitals gain a multi-faceted, 360-degree scope of protection while still having complete control over critical systems and sensitive patient data.
Learn More about Cylera’s Comprehensive Healthcare Cybersecurity Solutions
We invite you to learn more about the superior insights and extensive visibility made possible by Cyler’s detailed healthcare cybersecurity solutions. See for yourself why our premium, scalable platform is trusted by today’s largest and fastest-growing healthcare networks, hospitals, governments, academic institutions, and clinics alike.
We invite you to take a tour of our platform using step-by-step, intuitive video walkthroughs. When you’re ready to take the next step, contact us to schedule a customized, one-on-one demonstration of our platform. Learn how smarter features, including real-time asset discovery, deep IoT visibility, highly-precise risk profiling, and more, come together to provide the full spectrum of protection you and your patients deserve.
As the healthcare industry has continued to incorporate greater interconnectedness between devices and the patients and clinicians who rely on them, we’re proud to be a leader among connected medical device security solutions..
Contact us today to learn more or schedule a demo and let us help you boost your hospital’s organizational efficiency without compromising patient care.
