Strategies for Securing IoT Devices with a Skeptical Mindset

In the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare, the task of safeguarding valuable data has become more challenging as an increasing number of devices connect to healthcare networks in dispersed environments. One such evolution in cybersecurity for healthcare is the emergence of the zero-trust security architecture.

Implementing a zero-trust security approach in healthcare requires a comprehensive focus on people, process, and technology factors tailored to protect sensitive patient data and healthcare infrastructure from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

### Key Considerations for Zero Trust in Healthcare

#### 1. People

Continuous user identity and access management (IAM) are essential, ensuring that every user—including doctors, clinicians, vendors, and remote staff—is verified before granting access. Regular training and awareness sessions for employees on cybersecurity best practices, highlighting the importance of zero trust in protecting patient health information (PHI), are also crucial. Role-based access permissions must be strictly limited to the minimum required to perform job functions, reducing unnecessary exposure.

#### 2. Process

Continuous validation of user identity, device posture, and behaviour is essential, as access should not be a one-time event. Segmentation and least privilege principles should be applied, with networks and systems segmented so that users or devices only access the specific data and applications needed, minimising lateral movement risks. Proactive and real-time monitoring of access attempts, behaviour anomalies, and vulnerabilities allows rapid mitigation of threats.

#### 3. Technology

Device authentication and management solutions, such as Corero’s CORE Zero Trust Admission Control (ZTAC), are crucial for protecting sensitive environments. Real-time threat mitigation technologies that detect and mitigate attacks in real time are essential for operational resilience. Integration with Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems enhances EHR security and compliance, but healthcarespecific solutions must be developed that fit organisations of different sizes. Modern zero-trust solutions apply risk assessment dynamically to adjust access controls based on context and threat intelligence.

### Improving Security Capabilities Around Vulnerability and Device Management in Healthcare IT

Automated vulnerability scanning and patching of healthcare devices and systems reduce exploitable weaknesses. Comprehensive asset management allows IT teams to identify all devices accessing the network, including IoT and medical devices, and continuously assess their security posture. Network Access Control (NAC) solutions verify device compliance before permitting network connection, crucial for protecting sensitive environments. Deploying Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools provides visibility into endpoint activity and enables rapid response to threats found on devices.

Collaboration between security and clinical teams is essential to balance usability and strong security controls, ensuring patient care is not disrupted by security measures.

### Examples and Industry Practices

Cooper University Health Care's deployment of Corero’s CORE ZTAC demonstrates real-time, zero-trust protection that validates devices and users at the network edge, strengthening access control and reducing attack surfaces while supporting remote care access. Research shows the efficacy of zero trust in enhancing EHR confidentiality and security, highlighting the need for tailored solutions that align with healthcare regulations and operational needs.

In summary, successful zero-trust implementations in healthcare integrate continuous verification of identities and devices, robust access segmentation, and advanced real-time threat mitigation technologies with strong organisational policies and user education. Healthcare IT teams improve security by establishing automated vulnerability management processes and maintaining strict device governance, thereby protecting critical patient data and systems from ongoing cyber threats.

The zero-trust security approach in health care not only prioritizes technology, such as device authentication and management solutions, but also focuses on people and processes, with continuous user identity and access management being crucial.
In the realm of health care, where medical conditions and health-and-wellness data are paramount, a zero-trust security system ensures that only minimum required access is granted to users, and that this access is continuously validated for user identity, device posture, and behavior.
As data-and-cloud-computing becomes more integral to health care, the need for cybersecurity measures like real-time threat mitigation technologies and automated vulnerability scanning and patching of healthcare devices and systems becomes increasingly critical to safeguard sensitive patient data and infrastructure from sophisticated cyber threats.