Patrick Chown, Owner and President, The Network Installers12.01.22
Modern manufacturing processes use digital infrastructure for their operations and support. It’s the way the world works now; trying to run a medical device manufacturing facility without digital infrastructure today would be difficult. While necessary, this makes manufacturers vulnerable to cyber-attacks. According to a 2022 report by IBM, manufacturing is the industry that currently receives the most cyber-attacks. As a medical device manufacturer, this can be detrimental to your business in many ways.
Below, learn why medical device manufacturers are vulnerable to cyber-attacks and what you can do to bolster your network and reduce the likelihood of being attacked.
The first reason this industry is particularly vulnerable is a big one that’s thankfully easy to combat: most medical device manufacturers don’t have their guard up as much as other industries do. This is usually because historically, they were not often the target of cyber security attacks. Many medical device manufacturers don’t have encryption that is as secure as other industries, and they don’t put the resources into preventing cyberattacks that other industries do.
Additionally, some medical device manufacturers use legacy equipment as part of their manufacturing process. The very nature of this equipment leaves it more vulnerable to attack.
To understand the final reason why medical device manufacturers are particularly vulnerable to cyber-attacks, you need to think like a cybercriminal. Cybercriminals attack networks that are easy to gain access to, but they also attack networks that can provide a lot of value. According to the same report by IBM I referenced earlier, “Threat actors understand the critical role manufacturing plays in global supply chains and are seeking to disrupt those organizations.” Especially today when people are relying more and more on medical devices, cybercriminals know just how crippling an attack on medical device manufacturers can be. They may also be looking to steal intellectual property (IP), which can be devastating to manufacturers.
A critical step to building a robust and secure network is to use a virtual private network (VPN). All employees should use the VPN when conducting any sort of business, including emailing or accessing files.
All login protocols should include multi-factor authentication. This can help stop an attacker in their tracks if they are trying to use compromised credentials. With strong multi-factor authentication, they won’t be able to get into the system.
When setting up the internet of things (IoT) on your network and in your manufacturing facility, it’s helpful to give a unique ID to each device and to disable anything that isn’t necessary. Cyber-attacks can happen through these devices, and anything that’s connected doesn’t need to provide an avenue for an attack.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, once your network is set up, you should have someone in charge of network security. Many medical device manufacturers lack this, and this can lead to cracks in your infrastructure and security. Manufacturing facilities need someone to monitor the network as well as a response team to swoop in and take charge when a threat is imminent.
It’s incredibly important for your network to be monitored 24/7 because you never know when there might be a crack in your infrastructure. Continuous monitoring keeps constant surveillance on your network and its components and can quickly detect unauthorized activity. This is key to stopping a cyber-attack in its tracks.
Monitoring and inspection should happen consistently at a basic level to check if there are any current threats. It should also happen proactively, where you test the network to try to determine where attacks might come from in the future.
Medical device manufacturers should utilize private networks for business purposes and can never let their guard down when it comes to cyber security. By investing in security, you can reduce the possibility that you will face downtime, lose money, and face stolen IP or information in a cyber-attack.
Patrick Chown is the owner and president of network installation company, The Network Installers. The Network Installers specializes in network cabling installation, structured cabling, voice and data, audio/visual, commercial WiFi, and fiber optic installation for industrial and commercial facilities.
Below, learn why medical device manufacturers are vulnerable to cyber-attacks and what you can do to bolster your network and reduce the likelihood of being attacked.
Network Infrastructure Threats for Medical Device Manufacturers
Medical device manufacturers are vulnerable to cyber-attacks for a variety of reasons. Manufacturers today have no choice but to use digital infrastructure, but that fact alone leaves them vulnerable to attack.The first reason this industry is particularly vulnerable is a big one that’s thankfully easy to combat: most medical device manufacturers don’t have their guard up as much as other industries do. This is usually because historically, they were not often the target of cyber security attacks. Many medical device manufacturers don’t have encryption that is as secure as other industries, and they don’t put the resources into preventing cyberattacks that other industries do.
Additionally, some medical device manufacturers use legacy equipment as part of their manufacturing process. The very nature of this equipment leaves it more vulnerable to attack.
To understand the final reason why medical device manufacturers are particularly vulnerable to cyber-attacks, you need to think like a cybercriminal. Cybercriminals attack networks that are easy to gain access to, but they also attack networks that can provide a lot of value. According to the same report by IBM I referenced earlier, “Threat actors understand the critical role manufacturing plays in global supply chains and are seeking to disrupt those organizations.” Especially today when people are relying more and more on medical devices, cybercriminals know just how crippling an attack on medical device manufacturers can be. They may also be looking to steal intellectual property (IP), which can be devastating to manufacturers.
Building Robust Networks
Knowing that your network is vulnerable to attack as a cyber security manufacturer, it’s important to do everything you can to protect your network and consequently your business. Having a secure network can help identify threats by looking at traffic that comes from outside the network. This helps narrow down what might be a threat versus what is likely safe.A critical step to building a robust and secure network is to use a virtual private network (VPN). All employees should use the VPN when conducting any sort of business, including emailing or accessing files.
All login protocols should include multi-factor authentication. This can help stop an attacker in their tracks if they are trying to use compromised credentials. With strong multi-factor authentication, they won’t be able to get into the system.
When setting up the internet of things (IoT) on your network and in your manufacturing facility, it’s helpful to give a unique ID to each device and to disable anything that isn’t necessary. Cyber-attacks can happen through these devices, and anything that’s connected doesn’t need to provide an avenue for an attack.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, once your network is set up, you should have someone in charge of network security. Many medical device manufacturers lack this, and this can lead to cracks in your infrastructure and security. Manufacturing facilities need someone to monitor the network as well as a response team to swoop in and take charge when a threat is imminent.
Inspecting Existing Network Infrastructure
If you already have a network in place and want to make sure it is as robust as possible, first ensure you are doing everything explained above to create a secure network. Next, invest in vulnerability management, where you have a team that regularly looks for vulnerabilities in your network and patches them as soon as they are identified.It’s incredibly important for your network to be monitored 24/7 because you never know when there might be a crack in your infrastructure. Continuous monitoring keeps constant surveillance on your network and its components and can quickly detect unauthorized activity. This is key to stopping a cyber-attack in its tracks.
Monitoring and inspection should happen consistently at a basic level to check if there are any current threats. It should also happen proactively, where you test the network to try to determine where attacks might come from in the future.
Preventing Cyber Attacks for Medical Device Manufacturers
In the past, medical device manufacturers didn’t need to worry much about cybersecurity as they weren’t often targeted for attacks. Today, however, things have changed, and protecting your business via your network is more important than ever. It’s almost impossible to do business without accessing the internet.Medical device manufacturers should utilize private networks for business purposes and can never let their guard down when it comes to cyber security. By investing in security, you can reduce the possibility that you will face downtime, lose money, and face stolen IP or information in a cyber-attack.
Patrick Chown is the owner and president of network installation company, The Network Installers. The Network Installers specializes in network cabling installation, structured cabling, voice and data, audio/visual, commercial WiFi, and fiber optic installation for industrial and commercial facilities.