The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) : Safeguarding increasingly vulnerable IT systems

Healthcare organisations continue to face an expanding list of cyber challenges. Shrinking IT budgets, strict data-protection requirements, and increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks collide in a sector that protects the world’s most precious asset — sensitive medical data, often described as “digital gold” by cybercriminals.

As the digitalisation of healthcare accelerates, the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) has become a central pillar of clinical innovation. Connected devices — from infusion pumps and imaging systems to wearables and hospital sensors — have transformed patient care and operational efficiency. Yet these same devices also create one of the largest and most complex attack surfaces in the enterprise.

Access points aplenty

A hyper-connected hospital network can contain tens of thousands of endpoints — each a potential entryway for threat actors. Health-ISAC data shows a clear upward trend in healthcare ransomware incidents during 2024, particularly in the fourth quarter, with the number of attacks rising quarter-on-quarter and the sector being identified as a prime and growing target.

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) remain a prime target because of their rich troves of personally identifiable information. A single compromised EHR can contain a patient’s full name, birth date, address, insurance data, and medical history — enough to power identity theft and fraud schemes for years.

The complexity of healthcare IT infrastructure compounds the problem. A single network may include MRIs, diagnostic analyzers, tablets, remote-work laptops, and wireless routers — all connected to the same internal ecosystem. This flat network architecture enables lateral movement once attackers gain initial access.

The impact of operational technology

Operational Technology (OT) and IoMT have revolutionised healthcare delivery. They enable remote diagnostics, support telehealth expansion, and allow researchers to analyse real-time clinical data. However, this transformation carries new responsibility: securing the bridge between clinical care and IT infrastructure.

Healthcare staff are dedicated to patients, not cybersecurity, and limited time and training increase exposure. Insider involvement continues to play a major role: studies estimate 40–60% of healthcare breaches involve internal actors, whether through negligence or malice.

Smaller, overworked IT teams must safeguard a growing constellation of systems, vendors, and devices — often on limited budgets. Many are tasked to “do more with less,” maintaining uptime while addressing complex regulatory requirements and constant audits.

So how can healthcare organisations protect vulnerable IT infrastructure, remain compliant, and secure patient data — all within constrained budgets and workforce shortages?

The answer lies in Privileged Access Management (PAM).

Technology solutions for first-class defence

A Privileged Access Management solution helps healthcare providers enforce least-privilege principles across both IT and OT environments. By controlling who has access to what — and when — PAM ensures clinicians and contractors can perform their roles safely, without overexposure.

Key capabilities that matter in 2025

• Granular visibility and control: Security teams can define precise access policies and monitor all privileged sessions.

• Real-time session management: Automated detection and termination of suspicious activity prevents lateral movement and ransomware execution.

• Just-in-Time (JIT) access: Temporary, task-based privileges replace persistent admin accounts, drastically reducing risk.

• Full session recording: Provides immutable audit trails for regulatory compliance (HIPAA, NIS2, GDPR, FDA guidance).

• Credential vaulting and rotation: Removes shared passwords, automates secret rotation, and enforces multifactor authentication.

These capabilities align with leading cybersecurity frameworks promoted by Health-ISAC, Microsoft Threat Intelligence, and the U.S. FDA’s 2025 device-security guidance. While PAM implementation requires careful integration and change management, its long-term effect is to simplify compliance, strengthen resilience, and prevent privilege-based compromise.

Education: the other half of the equation

Technology alone cannot solve the challenge. Cybersecurity awareness training — regular, engaging, and role-specific — is vital.
Healthcare organisations that run continuous training and phishing simulations typically see click-through rates drop by 60–80%, though results vary by programme design. Scenario-based workshops and micro-learning videos tailored to clinical environments can foster a security-first culture without distracting from patient care.

Combining technology and education for maximum impact

The IoMT has permanently reshaped healthcare, creating both extraordinary potential and unprecedented risk. The industry must now balance innovation with resilience.

By combining an effective PAM-powered cybersecurity platform with continuous education, healthcare organisations can:

• Protect clinical networks and patient data

• Ensure regulatory compliance and audit readiness

• Enable secure remote access for staff and vendors

• Detect and stop malicious activity in real time

Armed with advanced access-control solutions and a workforce trained in cyber hygiene, healthcare organisations can thrive in a digital-first, patient-centric world — safely and securely.