By Ellie Gabel, Associate Editor, Revolutionized
LinkedIn: Elle Rose
LinkedIn: Revolutionized
Forgotten Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) devices often sit quietly on hospital networks, but they can become some of the most dangerous blind spots for health care organizations. Left unpatched or unmanaged, these devices provide easy entry points for ransomware attacks, patient data theft and service interruptions that disrupt clinical operations. Conducting a structured cybersecurity risk assessment ensures hospitals can uncover hidden vulnerabilities, prioritize remediation and strengthen their overall security posture before threats become costly breaches.
Create a Comprehensive Device Inventory
Effective asset discovery is the first step in managing cybersecurity risks across hospital networks, and it must include active and inactive IoMT devices. In 2024, the protected health information of over 276 million individuals was exposed or stolen, which shows the scale of potential threats when devices go unnoticed.
Automated tools for continuous scanning and correlation with configuration management databases help maintain an accurate inventory. Meanwhile, network traffic analysis and passive monitoring reveal shadow devices that often slip under the radar. To build a complete risk profile, IT teams should also capture vendor metadata, firmware versions and patch histories, ensuring no hidden vulnerabilities remain unchecked.
Assess Risk Exposure in Context
Health care IT teams must carefully prioritize IoMT devices based on their clinical criticality, connectivity level, and age to understand which pose the greatest risk to patient safety and network resilience. Interoperability challenges with electronic health records and other hospital systems can amplify vulnerabilities, particularly when outdated devices lack modern safeguards.
Supply chain limitations such as discontinued vendor support also leave gaps that make patching and maintenance difficult. Hospitals already apply strict protocols for handling medical gases to prevent accidents and toxic exposure. IoMT risk assessments require the same level of rigor to protect sensitive data and maintain operational stability.
Simulate Attack Scenarios
Red team exercises and penetration testing focused on legacy IoMT endpoints give health care IT teams a realistic view of potential attack pathways that traditional monitoring might miss. According to the FBI, critical infrastructure sectors faced over 1,100 reported ransomware attempts in 2023, and hospitals remain a prime target.
Using digital twin modeling or sandbox environments allows organizations to test exploits safely without risking live systems. These assessments should also explore lateral movement potential, showing how something as simple as a forgotten patient monitor could provide a foothold for attackers to compromise critical infrastructure. Connecting these findings to operational resilience and patient safety can turn simulated threats into actionable strategies for stronger defense.
Develop Mitigation and Containment Strategies
Mitigation strategies for forgotten IoMT devices must go beyond surface-level fixes and focus on layered defenses. Applying micro-segmentation and zero-trust network policies helps limit exposure for high-risk endpoints, reducing the chance of attackers moving laterally across hospital systems. With the health care industry reporting an average cost of $10.93 million per breach in 2023, institutions must make proactive protection a business necessity and a security priority.
Patching should be performed whenever possible. However, compensating controls such as virtual patching or device isolation can effectively contain risks when that is not an option. Hospitals should also establish clear decommissioning workflows for unsupported or irreparable equipment while ensuring all actions align with compliance requirements.
Strengthening Cybersecurity by Addressing Hidden IoMT Risks
Forgotten IoMT devices act as silent risks within hospital ecosystems, often overlooked until they create significant vulnerabilities. Proactive risk assessments give health care IT teams the visibility to close security gaps before attackers exploit them. Addressing these blind spots strengthens their cybersecurity posture while safeguarding patient safety and trust.