Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Implantable Medical Devices

Data breaches and cyberattacks have doubled in the healthcare industry between 2018 and 2021, exposing millions of patient records. Recently, hackers have targeted implantable medical devices like pacemakers and intracardiac devices, leading to potential harm or even death for patients. Despite improvements in security guidelines, vulnerabilities still exist due to insecure default settings, unsecured communications, and unpatched software. Strengthening cybersecurity measures, including implementing multi-factor authentication and data encryption, is vital to protect patients.