Cybersecurity and Frequent Cyber Attacks on IoT Devices in Healthcare: Issues and Solutions
Zag ElSayed, Ahmed Abdelgawad, Nelly Elsayed
TL;DR
This paper surveys the cybersecurity landscape of healthcare IoT, detailing threat vectors across wearable, implantable, smart, ambient devices, and hospital equipment. It combines a threat analysis with a multi-layered defense framework, including device hardening, robust authentication, network segmentation, blockchain for data integrity, regulatory compliance, user training, and advanced threat detection. Key contributions include a risk-focused device taxonomy, synthesis of current attack statistics, and concrete mitigation strategies tailored to resource-constrained medical devices. The work underscores the practical impact of securing healthcare IoT on patient safety, continuity of care, and organizational resilience, and outlines prioritized research directions such as AI-driven detection, lightweight cryptography, and quantum-resilient protocols.
Abstract
Integrating Internet of Things (IoT) devices in healthcare has revolutionized patient care, offering improved monitoring, diagnostics, and treatment. However, the proliferation of these devices has also introduced significant cybersecurity challenges. This paper reviews the current landscape of cybersecurity threats targeting IoT devices in healthcare, discusses the underlying issues contributing to these vulnerabilities, and explores potential solutions. Additionally, this study offers solutions and suggestions for researchers, agencies, and security specialists to overcome these IoT in healthcare cybersecurity vulnerabilities. A comprehensive literature survey highlights the nature and frequency of cyber attacks, their impact on healthcare systems, and emerging strategies to mitigate these risks.