News and Analysis

Wireless medical devices carry significant security risks as more devices come with commercial operating systems that are both Internet-connected and susceptible to attack, according to a bulletin from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The bulletin highlights five main points of entry for wireless mobile devices, including insider attacks, malware, spearphishing, web attacks, and lost equipment. The bulletin also suggests that healthcare organizations should learn from the Department of Veterans Affairs, which isolated medical devices from its main network to protect clinical data.