Securing the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)

Securing the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)

Discover how healthcare leaders are securing IoMT devices, with insights, a practical framework, and a real-world case study.

I’ve spent the past decade at the intersection of digital transformation and healthcare technology. But nothing has tested our mettle quite like the rise of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). As medical devices get smarter, our job as tech leaders is no longer limited to performance, uptime, or compliance. It’s about trust. And that trust is now deeply entwined with how we secure data, protect lives, and anticipate the unexpected.

This post isn’t a how-to. It’s a call to think differently. Whether you’re a CIO navigating new IT operating models, a CDO leading data-driven decisions in healthcare, or a board member seeking clarity in the chaos, consider this your field note from the frontlines.

Let’s explore the real-world challenges and strategic opportunities of securing the Internet of Medical Things.

The Strategic Stakes: It’s Not Just Data—It’s Lives

Connected pacemakers. Remote infusion pumps. AI-powered imaging devices. All of them are part of the vast IoMT ecosystem, and all are potential targets.

When we talk about digital transformation leadership, we can’t ignore the systemic risk IoMT introduces. A single breach doesn’t just leak patient data—it can interrupt real-time patient care. Imagine a ransomware attack freezing infusion pumps in an ICU. This isn’t just an IT failure. It’s a life-or-death scenario.

#CIOpriorities are shifting. We’re not just gatekeepers of infrastructure—we’re custodians of clinical continuity. And that means IoMT security isn’t just a technical issue. It’s a board-level concern.

Failing to address it undermines:

Operational continuity in hospitals and clinics

Regulatory trust with HIPAA, GDPR, and upcoming AI/IoMT standards

Brand reputation, especially in public-private healthcare systems

Shareholder value, as digital health IPOs and valuations rise

IoMT doesn’t just live in the server room anymore—it lives in the boardroom.

The Pulse of IoMT: Connected, Complex, and Under Attack

IoMT is not a future trend—it’s today’s norm. As of 2024, over 70% of medical devices are connected to the internet. By 2026, the global IoMT market is expected to cross $180 billion.

But here’s what keeps me up at night:

• 53% of connected medical devices have known critical vulnerabilities

• Only 15% of healthcare organizations have a dedicated IoMT security strategy

• The average time to detect a breach in healthcare is 212 days

These numbers aren’t abstract. In one hospital network I advised, we discovered 400+ devices still running legacy Windows OS—some in use inside operating theatres. They were functioning, but invisible to the IT inventory.

#DigitalTransformationLeadership must go beyond dashboards and into device-level visibility. That’s where security starts, not ends.

Another insight: many IoMT vendors prioritize innovation over cybersecurity. Their business model rewards features, not patches. This creates a downstream problem for CIOs who inherit insecure-by-design devices.

Experience Doesn’t Just Teach—It Changes You

Here are three insights I wish I’d known earlier:

1. Security Has to Be Baked In, Not Bolted On

Retrofitting security onto legacy medical devices is like putting airbags on a horse carriage. In one instance, we had to isolate critical devices on a shadow network just to mitigate exposure. Since then, we’ve insisted that all vendor RFPs include a “cyber readiness” checklist.

2. Collaboration Beats Control

We once tried centralizing IoMT management under IT. It failed. Doctors resisted, engineers bypassed, and vendors protested. The breakthrough came when we formed a cross-functional governance team—IT, clinical leaders, biomedical engineers, and legal. That created alignment, not just enforcement.

3. Start with the Patient in Mind

This may sound obvious, but it's often forgotten: security is part of the patient journey. Whether it's ensuring device uptime or protecting biometric data, every decision you make ripples downstream. Human lives are tied to the bytes we protect.

#EmergingTechnologyStrategy isn’t about being the smartest voice in the room—it’s about being the most responsible one.

A Framework for Securing IoMT

The C.A.R.E. Model: Clarity, Access, Resilience, Ethics

To simplify complexity, I’ve developed the C.A.R.E. Model. It’s what we now use internally as a checklist for evaluating IoMT security maturity.

Clarity

• Maintain a live device inventory of all connected medical devices

• Categorize by risk level, software version, and network exposure

Access

• Enforce zero-trust policies for all devices

• Use identity-based segmentation, not just IP filters

Resilience

• Have isolation protocols for compromised or at-risk devices

• Ensure redundancy for mission-critical equipment

Ethics

• Secure patient data at the edge

• Establish transparency clauses in vendor contracts

• Review devices for AI bias and explainability (emerging area)

Every time you audit a medical device or sign off on a digital health solution, run it through C.A.R.E.
#DataDrivenDecisionMakingInIT isn’t just about analytics dashboards—it’s also about ethical system design.

When a Smart Pump Became a Soft Target

Let me share a real (anonymized) case from a client hospital group in Southeast Asia.

The Problem:
They had over 1,200 smart infusion pumps across 14 locations. But they were all on a flat hospital network, sharing VLANs with nurse stations and Wi-Fi used by patients.

The Attack:
A low-level malware made its way from a patient’s tablet, laterally moved into a nurse station, and triggered false alerts on infusion pumps. No patients were harmed—but three surgeries were delayed, and the media storm was brutal.

What We Did:

• Segmented networks using microsegmentation

• Introduced real-time monitoring via device twins

• Replaced static firmware with OTA (Over-the-Air) update-capable devices

• Brought in cyber drills with medical teams—not just IT

The lesson? Security is a shared language. Clinical staff must understand threat vectors. IT must understand care continuity. Only then can you secure the modern hospital.

From Point-of-Care to Point-of-Threat

Here’s what I see coming—and what we must prepare for:

1. Autonomous IoMT Devices

Devices will self-adjust treatment based on AI models. This means AI model integrity becomes a new attack surface.

2. Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) Business Models

Hospitals will no longer buy devices—they’ll lease them. This brings data sovereignty and compliance risks. Who owns the logs? Who’s accountable for breaches?

3. Federated Health Security Coalitions

As attacks grow, we’ll need inter-hospital threat intelligence sharing, not just siloed firewalls.

Senior tech leaders should lead the charge here. Push vendors. Educate clinicians. Speak to the board in the language of risk, resilience, and responsibility.

If you're a CIO, CTO, or digital transformation leader reading this:
Start small. Audit your device map. Build your own C.A.R.E. framework. Push back on vendors who can't answer tough questions about firmware, data access, or endpoint protection.

This isn't just about securing hardware. It’s about securing the future of care.

What’s your take? Have you faced similar challenges in securing connected medical ecosystems?

Let’s keep the conversation going.
#IoMT #CIOPriorities #HealthcareCybersecurity #DigitalTransformationLeadership