EP&T: COVID-19 and medical IoT device security
by EP&T
Mitigating risk by implementing PKI at design level
IoT (Internet of Things) has rapidly bridged the gap between our physical and digital worlds through wearable consumer devices, smart home appliances and mission-critical systems like autonomous cars, power grids and medical devices. Device manufacturers and IoT product designers face cybersecurity expectations and an inherent feeling that as an industry we don’t know how to do security right just yet. Cybersecurity is important in all connected devices, but it becomes most critical in devices that keep people alive.
The sheer volume of online and connected devices is growing exponentially year over year. When it comes to security, every new device expands IoT attack vectors. Medical devices like insulin pumps and pacemakers deliver regulated signals to monitor patient health and inform treatment plans. If a cyber-attacker can access the device, they can intercept and modify data, impacting everything from dosage delivery to the device’s software and firmware – potentially impacting the device’s function and more importantly, patient safety.
Read more on EP&T, one of Canadian Manufacturing‘s sister publications.
