From mobile apps that assist with taking medicine on time to smart appliances that monitor vitals, the Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming ubiquitous in healthcare. However, IoT’s expansion brings new risks, vulnerabilities, and security challenges for healthcare practitioners and their patients.

IoT security risks
Devices that contain a treasure trove of patient data are attractive targets for cybercriminals. Healthcare apps, for instance, contain plenty of sensitive information, including social security numbers, prescriptions, and medical histories. Should hackers ever get a hold of this information, they’ll be able to create fake IDs to buy drugs or medical equipment to resell.

In certain cases, an attacker could have direct control over IoT equipment, causing potentially lethal results.

In 2011, Johnson & Johnson warned patients about unsecured insulin pumps that allowed hackers to make unauthorized insulin injections. Even more terrifying, the FDA recently discovered almost half a million pacemakers were vulnerable to attacks and can be controlled (or shut down) remotely.

Vulnerable medical devices are also gateways to a secured network. Hackers can use compromised IoT devices to sneak ransomware and other types of malware onto a network, causing service disruptions and preventing practitioners from providing responsive treatment.

There are, however, a few things you can do to defend against these attacks.

Use multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication forces users to provide more information than just their username and password (e.g., SMS code, fingerprint, or retinal scan). By enabling this on your networks and devices, hackers will have a more difficult time accessing mission-critical data.

Encrypt your data
Another way to protect your business and your patients from a massive data breach is with encryption. Encoding electronic health records while they’re being transmitted or left in storage prevents hackers from reading and stealing sensitive information.

If possible, everything that is transmitted across your network should be encrypted automatically to secure the communication between IoT devices.

Install intrusion prevention systems
Since most IoT attacks are delivered via the internet, intrusion prevention systems are crucial to identify and block anomalies attempting to gain access to your network. This means hackers who try to remotely access or shut down your IoT equipment will be stopped before they damage your systems.

Security updates
Last but not least, IoT manufacturers occasionally release security patches for their gadgets. Get in the habit of downloading these updates as soon they’re rolled out to ensure your device is safe from the latest threats.

When it comes to security, healthcare institutions have their work cut out for them. But whether you’re dealing with hardware security, data privacy, or compliance, it’s a good idea to partner with a managed services provider that specializes in helping the medical industry.

Call us today to see what we can do to protect you and your patients.

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Almost every business relies on software to operate, and for most SMBs, the costs of software -- including license and maintenance -- are painfully expensive. So is there a solution that allows you to leverage the power of software without a high price tag? One candidate is the software delivery service called SaaS. Read on to learn more about it.

What is SaaS and what makes it appealing?

Software as a Service (SaaS) is a software delivery model that allows you, as a user, to access software from any device via the internet. This gives you more flexibility since you won’t have to come to the office to use the software, but will be able to work from anywhere that has an internet connection.

As opposed to a traditional on-premises setup where software is stored locally, SaaS software is hosted in the cloud, eliminating the need to buy new hardware or spend money on its maintenance. Besides, by transferring software hosting to a third party, you’re also outsourcing all the responsibilities that come with maintenance such as upgrades and troubleshooting.

Another aspect that sets SaaS apart from using on-premises software is licensing. With on-premises, you purchase a license and pay yearly support fees; while with SaaS, you pay a monthly or annual subscription fee that covers licenses, support, and other fees. This is advantageous since it allows you to spread out costs over time, instead of purchasing licenses outright.

Will my data be safe?

One of the issues that makes companies reluctant to switch to SaaS is data security. Who will own my data? Will my data be safe? What if the vendor goes out of business?

First of all, when you’re outsourcing your software to a SaaS vendor, you have to sign a service level agreement (SLA). Make sure that the SLA specifies that you own the data and that the vendor is obliged to provide access to your data even if they go bankrupt.

Secondly, it’s likely that data hosted by your SaaS vendor will be more secure than when it’s stored on your average SMB's network. That's because SaaS vendors have to undergo strict security audits, forcing them to invest more in security, backup technology, and maintenance than a typical SMB has to.

Should I switch to SaaS or stick to on-premises?

SaaS is an ideal solution for small- and medium-sized businesses with straightforward business models that are looking for a way to reduce upfront costs. But if your business is large or has complex business processes, a traditional on-premises solution might be a better choice since it offers more functionality and allows for full customization.

Still unsure about whether SaaS is the right answer for your organization? Want to know more about SaaS before making the transition? Call us today. Our experts are ready to answer any questions you may have about SaaS!

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