More Than 14,000 Medical Devices Exposed; U.S. Disproportionately Affected
CyberScoop
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Contributed by: Drex DeFord
Summary
A recent Censys report has identified more than 14,000 internet-connected medical devices and healthcare databases that are exposed to vulnerabilities, with nearly 50% located in the U.S. The decentralized nature of the U.S. healthcare system is a significant contributor to this issue, in contrast to the UK's centralized system, which has about 200 such devices. The healthcare sector has increasingly become a target for cyberattacks, prompting the Biden administration to prioritize cybersecurity measures, particularly regarding ransomware threats. Efforts include advocating for stricter cybersecurity mandates for medical device manufacturers to enforce secure design principles; however, many healthcare organizations, especially smaller ones, remain ill-prepared to handle these evolving cyber threats.
