Study: Medical Device Security is Not Well Tracked

A new study suggests that the U.S. may not be doing a good job of tracking the security risks of high-tech medical devices, which often have wireless connections and use commercial PCs that may make them susceptible to viruses or hacking.

Researchers looked at how medical equipment manufacturers and their customers, such as hospitals, have made public information about device recalls or other equipment problems, according to Network World. They found that reporting was inconsistent, software-related updates were a major factor in recalls, and the data security ramifications of a software-related recall were not usually identified.

The study also showed that there have been many instances of malware infecting PCs used to operate medical equipment, at times turning medical devices into “botnets” that are often used by for things like spam relays, according to Network World.

“Time pressure, lack of incentives, lack of federal safe harbor policies, and lack of clear actionable guidance further reduce the probability of incident reporting by clinicians and information technology staff," said researchers.

The authors of the study concluded that the U.S. should re-think its strategy for collecting and sharing security-related information for medical devices and that manufacturers along with regulators should re-evaluate “security and privacy elements of their devices and systems,” according to Network World.

If you or a loved one has been harmed by an unsafe medical device, contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation and to find out if a product liability lawyer may be able to help you. For legal help, call (800) 581-6358.

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