From checking passwords to verifying software versions, routine maintenance gives HTM teams opportunities to strengthen medical device cyber-resilience.
By Phil Englert, VP Medical Device Security, Health-ISAC
Medical device cybersecurity is often discussed in terms of threats, vulnerabilities, and technical controls, but for healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals, the conversation is really about something far more familiar: maintaining the reliability, safety, and performance of the devices clinicians depend on every day.
Preventive maintenance helps ensure equipment functions as intended. Cybersecurity activities help ensure those same devices remain trustworthy, available, and safe for patient care. Cyber-resilience should not sit outside normal HTM workflows. It should be incorporated into the routine activities HTM teams already perform to keep medical devices operating safely throughout their lifecycle.
