The FDA has issued a safety communication that includes recommendations for ensuring the secure use of medical devices to reduce the risk of cybersecurity breaches.
According to the FDA, medical devices are vulnerable to cyberattacks, particularly as they are increasingly interconnected via hospital networks, smartphones and other medical devices.
The FDA's recommendations for healthcare facilities include:
- Restricting unauthorized access to the network and networked medical devices.
- Making certain appropriate antivirus software and firewalls are up-to-date.
- Monitoring network activity for unauthorized use.
- Protecting individual network components through routine and periodic evaluation, including updating security patches and disabling all unnecessary ports and services.
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