In the ENTRUST expert interviews, our dissemination leader, Future Needs, speaks with other project partners to discuss topics like connected medical devices, cybersecurity, and strategies to strengthen privacy across the entire medical ecosystem.
In this conversation, Egle Joneliunaite from Future Needs is joined by Fikret Küçükdeveci from KARDINERO, the ENTRUST project’s use case partner.
Kardinero is a well-established medical device manufacturer with over 30 years of expertise, particularly in PC-Based ECG systems and ECG Stress Test Systems with Treadmills. Leveraging its experience in designing and manufacturing CE Certified devices, Kardinero is applying its knowledge of medical device quality requirements and standards to the ENTRUST project. Kardinero will also provide a testing environment at Ankara University Hospital, where its previously released devices are already in use, to support the ENTRUST system's development and validation.
Key highlights of the interview:
At ENTRUST, our top priority in cybersecurity is addressing the diverse and rapidly evolving landscape of connected medical devices and their data. This issue spans a wide range of technologies, from large, stationary imaging systems and hospital networks, including ICU equipment, to simple portable medical devices integrated with mobile devices and cloud networks. There is a significant need to standardize data formats, networks, and specifications across these systems.
All stakeholders, including device manufacturers, software developers, security tool providers, system integrators, hospital networks, administrators, and IT departments, are impacted by these challenges.
As a use-case partner, KARDINERO is integrating their devices into networks. They are applying ENTRUST solutions to their devices, software, and communication systems. Within the ENTRUST project, the developments are being simulated and integrated across all systems, performing comprehensive security and secrecy tests, including potential attack scenarios. This ensures that when these CMDs (Connected Medical Devices) and their software are used with real patients, there will be no issues regarding safety or confidentiality.
The main risks in CMDs' scenarios include data corruption or loss during patient data acquisition in hospital environments or remote monitoring situations. Such deterioration can lead to the loss of valuable patient data, adversely affecting diagnostics and treatment. Device control could also be compromised in an attack, rendering the device useless. At ENTRUST, we are focused on developing techniques, controls, and encryption methods to prevent such attacks.
At ENTRUST, various scenarios and tests are being conducted, carefully balancing applications, benefits, usability, security, and confidentiality. A detailed risk-benefit analysis helps minimize risks. While some risk remains, ENTRUST is committed to performing all necessary risk assessments and employing cryptography techniques to protect data at every stage.
For testing, ENTRUST uses dummy data from artificial sources, and never real patients or their data. However, the devices, hardware, and software used are real products from the KARDINERO portfolio.
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