Groundbreaking ZingBox Report Analyzes Connected Medical Devices Across 50 Locations, Shedding Light on IoT Security Vulnerabilities

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ZingBox, leading a new generation of IoT security solutions focused on IoT service protection, today announced the findings of its first ever Medical Devices Threat Report, also the first such report in the industry. ZingBox researchers detected, identified and analyzed the behavior of medical devices deployed in more than 50 hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare locations. This pioneering report looks at a wide range of medical devices, from infusion pumps and patient monitors to imaging systems and medical device gateways, highlighting vulnerabilities in hospital networks and shedding light on the causes of common security events. Over the course of 2017, ZingBox analyzed tens of thousands of devices resulting in security issues covering vulnerabilities from user issues to outdated software. This data provides an unprecedented view into the makeup of a connected healthcare ecosystem and the common vulnerabilities introduced by IoT medical devices.

"This groundbreaking report gives us a new, widescale view of connected healthcare devices and enables us to pinpoint not just where the vulnerabilities are, but what types of issues are triggering security issues. The report's findings closely mirror what we have been hearing from our customers about incidents, risks, and related challenges," said Xu Zou, CEO and co-founder, ZingBox. "Many organizations don't have a clear picture of the vulnerabilities on their networks — or even what devices are connected on those networks. The insights in this report will help them shape their security efforts and prioritize the most critical risks based on concrete data not previously available."

ZingBox's Threat Report, the first of its kind, provides a detailed analysis of the types of devices, most common risk areas, and steps that can be taken to significantly improve security. The most common types of security risks were found to originate from user practice issues (e.g., using embedded browsers on medical workstations to surf the web, conduct online chat or download content), accounting for 41 percent of all security issues. This was followed by outdated OS or software such as the use of legacy Windows OS, obsolete applications and unpatched firmware. These issues account for 33 percent or one-third of all security risks found on connected medical devices.

The report showed infusion pumps are the most widely deployed connected medical devices but are not the leading cause of security issues. Imaging systems rank number one as it is the source for 51 percent of all security issues.

"It is interesting to point out that while infusion pumps make up nearly 50 percent of connected devices in hospitals, they don't represent the largest cyberattack surface," added Zou. "Security issues relating to infusion pumps were only at two percent. However, attention to protecting these devices should still be a priority since a successful attack on a single infusion pump could result in disabling the bulk of all infusion pumps through lateral movement and infection."

Additional findings from the report include:

• Medical devices make up less than a quarter of all devices found in dedicated medical networks
• 43 percent of devices in networks dedicated for medical devices consist of PCs
• Use of unauthorized applications (22 percent) and browsers (18 percent) make up the bulk of user practice issues and are the leading security issues for connected medical devices

"This report, and the extensive analysis behind it, represents a pivotal step forward. Understanding how vulnerabilities enter our networks is critical to protecting patient data and safety in healthcare settings," said Zou. "As we continue to gain more knowledge about how attacks enter our systems, we can better arm our staff and networks to prevent these dangerous events."

To download the full report, visit https://www.zingbox.com/resources/threat-report/. For more information on ZingBox and its solutions visit: www.zingbox.com.

About ZingBox

Enabling the Internet of Trusted Things, ZingBox provides hospitals, companies and manufacturing facilities with Internet of Things (IoT) security software that helps ensure service delivery. ZingBox's new approach is based on deep learning and enforcement of trusted behavior. Founded by Silicon Valley veterans with expertise in cybersecurity, IoT, deep learning and networking, ZingBox was selected by the Stanford StartX program, was named one of NetworkWorld's hottest security startups, and was most recently named a "Cool Vendor in IoT Security, 2017" by Gartner. For more information, visit www.zingbox.com.

Media Contact:
Jacqueline Velasco
ZingBox
(408) 680-0564
[email protected]

SOURCE ZingBox

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