Why Device Security Must Be a Manufacturer Priority

Today’s medical devices are tightly connected to hospital networks, clinical systems, cloud platforms, and remote support tools. This improves patient care, but it also opens the door to cyber threats.

If your device has a vulnerability, hospitals expect you to take the lead. One unpatched or misconfigured device can cause:

• Workflow disruptions and clinical downtime

• Delayed diagnoses or treatments

• Exposed patient data

• Hospital-wide incident response activities

• Loss of trust in the device manufacturer

Hospitals do not have the time or staff to address complex security issues on their own. They require manufacturers to deliver real and easy-to-understand security instructions from the moment the device is delivered to the site.

This article presents 10 vital ways medical device companies can help hospitals maintain cyber hygiene while making safer, more resilient devices as a ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌result.

Understanding the Root Causes of Device Vulnerabilities

Before hospitals can secure your devices, manufacturers need to understand the challenges hospitals face.

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1. Outdated Firmware, Weak Credentials, and Legacy Devices

Hospitals frequently have the following situations:

• Equipment that is difficult to update because it is old

• Devices that still use the default passwords with which they were shipped

• Firmware without long-term support

These sorts of shortcomings become the liabilities of your product if you let them go unmanaged. Manufacturers have to create predictable, low-friction update processes and eliminate insecure defaults.

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2. Devices on Flat Networks

Numerous hospitals have flat or partially segmented networks. In this case, a compromised device could be used to move attackers from one system to another.

Since hospitals rely heavily on vendor documentation, manufacturers should provide clear guidance on segmentation and network hardening.

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3. Uncontrolled Vendor Access

Devices may need remote service, but hospitals are having difficulty managing the following:

• Temporary vendor accounts

• Unsecured remote support tools

• Vendor sessions that are left open for too long.

Manufacturers should assist hospitals in implementing secure, audited, time-bound, and enforced access.

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4. Mixed Hardware Generations

Hospitals seldom decide to buy a completely new inventory at once. The new, secure models will still coexist with the older, unsupported units.

Manufacturers have to provide transition plans, the new controls, and the residual risks from the older devices that are still in service.

10 Essential Practices Manufacturers Must Support Hospitals With

Hospitals​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ not only require hardware from device manufacturers but also seek the support and direction that help them to keep the devices secure from the very first day. The majority of hospitals are not in a position to dedicate time, staff, or resources to device security management. For that reason, they rely on manufacturers to provide clear guidance, secure default settings, and convenient tools that facilitate and secure the performance of daily cybersecurity tasks.

These ten actions specify the requirements of hospitals from manufacturers in order to keep proper cyber hygiene and lower the risk level in the entire medical device fleet.

1. Deliver Easy, Reliable, and Timely Firmware Updates

Manufacturers must ensure firmware updates are predictable, safe, and simple to execute. Clear guidance reduces hospital risk and improves device security.

Without updates, hospitals cannot remain secure, and they cannot update safely without your help. Make updates less risky, more predictable, and clearer by providing:

• A regular update timetable that hospitals can plan according to

• Detailed, step-by-step instructions written for clinical engineers, not programmers

• Update packages that are signed, along with the verification of their integrity

• Rollback paths that are secure in case a situation goes wrong

• Estimates of the minimum period during which the device will be out of operation and advice on scheduling

Purpose: Updates should be done in a simple, safe way and should not interfere too much with the clinical ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌workflows.

2.​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Ship Devices With Secure, Unique Credentials

Weak or shared credentials are among the top hospital cybersecurity weaknesses that have been identified. As hospitals are not in a position to secure each device manually, manufacturers should therefore introduce secure authentication right from the beginning and do away with default password risks.

Default passwords are a vulnerable point and, as such, they place an extra burden on hospital workers. Therefore, what you need to do is to provide:

• Each device should have unique credentials.

• Role-based access control that is integrated from the very beginning

• Multi-factor authentication (MFA) options are used where it is appropriate.

• The deployment of a simple password-hardening guide

Benefit: Helps in reducing audit failures and stops situations where devices can be easily exploited.

3. Provide Clear Network Segmentation Requirements

Hospitals depend on proper network segmentation for the safety of the critical systems, which they can only implement correctly if manufacturers have defined the device’s requirements. Having clear and feasible guidance enables hospitals to safely and consistently place devices on the ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌network.

You must provide clear guidance to isolate devices safely and effectively. You should give them:

• Recommended VLAN assignments

• Ports and protocols that are allowed and required

• Block/deny lists

• Sample reference network architectures

Tip: Hospitals will find it easier to take your advice if you provide them with clear, practical diagrams and ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌examples.

4.​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Secure Vendor Remote Access

While​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ remote support is necessary for fixing issues, it is at the same time a favorite spot for hackers to gain access to the system with the least risk. Manufacturers have to set up firm protection measures so that hospitals can remotely access them without any worries and without putting in extra doors.

Remote assistance is a must; however, it may represent a security threat if the corresponding precautions are not taken. Help hospitals handle it safely by offering:

• Time-limited credentials for vendor personnel

• MFA for remote access

• Approved remote support tools

• Activity logging and audit capabilities

• Steps to disable access quickly during incidents

Result: Secure remote channels without creating backdoors.

5. Implement Encryption by Default

Security should be such that it does not need hospital personnel to turn it on or set it up. Devices should be safe from the first moment, with well-implemented security that keeps the privacy of the data at every stage.

Hospitals require security to be there by default. Provide encryption for:

• Data at rest

• Data in transit

• Sensitive logs and credentials

• Transparent documentation of how encryption is implemented

Impact: It lessens the risk without the hospitals having to make extra configuration changes.

6.​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Provide Correct, Machine-Readable Device Inventory Data

Manufacturers should provide accurate, easily accessible device data to enable hospitals to maintain security.

Security cannot be achieved without identification. Make sure that hospitals are able to follow each unit by giving:

• UDI information

• MDS2 documentation

• Device discovery profiles

• Clear naming conventions in logs and network traffic

Reason: Even outdated devices will not be forgotten.

7. Support Regular Security Audits

Hospitals​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ are often subject to cybersecurity audits, which can take up a lot of time if they are not properly documented. So, manufacturers help to reduce this load by supplying the materials that hospitals require in order to quickly and accurately confirm security configurations.

Audits are easier when manufacturers deliver correct materials. Provide:

• Hardening guides

• Security baseline configurations

• Reviews logs

• Testing guidance for normal vs. abnormal behavior

Result: Clinical engineering workload is lessened, and support tickets are ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌reduced.

8.​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Provide Simple Training Materials for Staff

It is a fact that hospital staff have a very limited amount of time, which is why the training has to be not only practical but also of a short duration and easy to access. By having clear materials, teams can operate the devices in the correct manner, refrain from errors and follow the best practices without the necessity of an extensive course.

Hospitals require guidance that is fast and handy, but not too much at a time. Think of:

• Quick-start security checklists

• One-page “Do’s & Don’t’s” sheet.

• 3-minute microtraining videos for common tasks

• Warnings for frequent misuse scenarios

Benefit: It will improve compliance, lower risk, and reduce support calls.

9. Design and Document Strong Access Control Models

Hospitals rely on the directions from the manufacturer in order to be sure that users in different departments have the right level of access. Well-written documentation is a means to safeguard security as it discourages misuse, facilitates audits, and promotes security in general.

Manufacturers must create clear, actionable documentation so hospitals can manage device access and security confidently. Include:

• Role definitions

• Privilege boundaries

• Audit logging locations

• Configuration examples

Result: Staff use devices securely and traceably.

10. Publish a Clear Incident Response Integration Plan

In a security situation, hospitals have to make a decision quickly, and they depend on manufacturers for immediate guidance. Having a clear incident response plan is what guarantees hospitals can take the exact steps needed, understand how to separate the devices that have been affected, and know the procedures for safe ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌recovery.

When a security event happens, hospitals will come to you first. Provide:

• Isolation steps for affected devices

• Escalation and communication flowcharts

• Forensic log collection instructions

• Recovery and reactivation guidance

• Emergency support contact information

Goal: Reduce downtime, improve patient safety, and keep the ‍trust.