The new cybersecurity lab will test medical device security and reduce the device security threats and will conduct enterprise security testing of medical equipment in an environment that does not pose any risk to the patients
Trimedx, IU Health entre cybersecurity collaboration. (Credit: Wonderlane on Unsplash)
US-based medical technology company Trimedx has teamed up with Indiana University Health (IU Health) to develop a new cybersecurity lab.
The new cybersecurity lab will be used to test medical device security and reduce device security threats, as part of the product development.
Also, it will be designed to conduct enterprise security testing of medical equipment in an environment that does not pose any risk to the patients.
Trimedx said that the combination of its advanced technology with the Medical Device Security Lab at IU Health will provide new opportunities for healthcare professionals.
Also, the advanced technology is not readily available to most health systems and is planning to extend the research to others over time, said the company.
Indiana University Health executive director of information security, Nick Sturgeon said: “The increase in threats and vulnerabilities is exactly why this collaboration is so important.
“The collaboration will allow us to be at the forefront of innovation and to continue to protect the health and security of patients.
“Mitigating cybersecurity threats is vital to protecting patient safety and data. The cutting-edge device testing lab enhances the ability to remediate vulnerabilities before equipment reaches the patient floor.”
According to the company, healthcare cybersecurity breaches hit an all-time high last year, and 68% of medical devices will be connected devices by 2025.
Its new cybersecurity lab will facilitate the testing of medical devices in a healthcare system for susceptibilities and interoperability.
Also, it will enable testing of net-new devices prior to their implementation, testing of configurations and security setups, and active scanning of equipment specific to security testing, said the technology company.
Trimedx chief technology officer and cybersecurity president Doug Folsom said: “We expect that this Medical Device Security Lab will pave the way in creating a space for devices to be tested before usage and begin to flag common security issues prior to the implementation of the devices in a healthcare setting.
“The intent is to see an overall decrease in device security threats and eventually make this research open and available to many more organisations.”