Key takeaways
Although connected medical devices improve clinical operations, they can introduce unique security vulnerabilities because they cannot run host-based security software or undergo routine patching.
Traditional perimeter defenses fail against lateral movement, requiring healthcare networks to shift security enforcement to the network level to protect unmanaged devices.
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation delivers automated device fingerprinting and continuous device discovery across wired and wireless networks.
Hospitals can systematically reduce operational risk by ringfencing high-value assets like ICU systems and imaging environments without introducing operational friction or downtime.
Healthcare organizations are experiencing a growing number of cyberthreats, driven by the rapid expansion of connected medical devices and the operational constraints on securing them.
Modern hospitals rely on thousands of connected systems, including infusion pumps, imaging devices, patient monitors, lab equipment, and more. While these technologies improve clinical operations and patient outcomes, they also introduce security gaps that traditional tools were not designed to address.
Because most medical devices cannot run host-based security software, cannot be easily patched, and frequently operate on legacy or proprietary platforms, traditional perimeter-based security models are proving insufficient. When a single compromised device can impact patient safety, disrupt clinical workflows, or expose sensitive data, healthcare organizations require a security approach designed specifically for environments that contain high-risk connected systems.
The operational and security challenges of clinical environments
Securing connected clinical systems involves navigating several persistent architectural and operational hurdles, including:
The risk of lateral movement
Unmanaged and unprotected devices
Uptime and maintenance constraints
Privacy and compliance frameworks
High-impact disruptions
The risk of lateral movement
Attackers increasingly exploit IT-to-OT communication paths to reach sensitive medical systems, a tactic observed in real-world incidents such as the Sandworm and Volt Typhoon campaigns. This trend underscores the critical need for strict ringfencing between IT assets and OT roles.
Unmanaged and unprotected devices
Many clinical and Internet of Things (IoT) devices provide limited or no native security controls. Because they lack the ability to deploy host-based software, they remain highly vulnerable to unauthorized or “shadow” device interactions, similar to the rogue device activity seen in the CARR hacktivist attacks targeting exposed human-machine interfaces.
Uptime and maintenance constraints
Systems that support ongoing patient care must maintain high availability; therefore, taking them offline for routine patching disrupts vital operations. As a result, outdated systems often become prime targets for IoT malware families, such as Mozi and Mirai variants, which propagate directly from device to device.
Privacy and compliance frameworks
Regulatory frameworks like Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) limit the software modifications that can be made to clinical systems. Security controls must therefore be deployed in ways that avoid operational or regulatory conflicts while still preventing risky device communication.
High-impact disruptions
Clinical environments require absolute stability and predictability. Even minor interruptions can affect patient care, creating a need for precise and transparent security controls. This is particularly critical for mobile medical devices that move throughout a facility and may unintentionally bypass traditional network boundaries.
Extending Zero Trust to the network level
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation provides a practical and scalable way to protect cyber-physical systems (CPS) environments, including IoT, Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), and OT systems.
By shifting security enforcement from the host level to the network level, our platform extends Zero Trust protection to every connected device in the hospital, including systems that cannot run traditional security software.
Core capabilities for healthcare environments
This table breaks down the Akamai Guardicore Segmentation’s main features, showing how each technical capability translates directly into real-world safety for your network.
Capability | Technical function | Operational benefit |
|---|---|---|
Continuous device discovery | Automatically identifies all connected devices across wired and wireless networks | Instantly surfaces unknown or unauthorized devices that require immediate isolation |
Accurate device fingerprinting | Classifies more than 100,000 device types | Enables automatic mapping of each device to its appropriate clinical or operational role |
Comprehensive visibility | Reveals all communication flows, including east-west traffic inside VLANs | Identifies unsafe activity, prevents lateral threat propagation, and integrates with existing security tools |
Dynamic enforcement | Applies network-level policies that follow devices automatically as they shift locations or reconnect | Ensures consistent protection for roaming medical carts, wireless monitors, and portable imaging systems |
Simplified policy creation | Employs built-in segmentation policies and automatic device grouping | Minimizes manual configuration, applies industry best practices, and accelerates time to protection |
Practical applications: How hospitals can apply device segmentation
Healthcare security leaders can comprehensively reduce systemic operational risk by applying granular network-level controls across six key areas:
Protect ICU and patient monitoring systems
Secure imaging environments
Isolate compromised or unknown devices
Control and monitor vendor-managed systems
Segment building and facility systems
Secure remote access with identity validation
Protect ICU and patient monitoring systems
Security teams can restrict network communication exclusively to the specific systems and applications required for clinical workflows. This strictly blocks lateral movement attempts originating from compromised or unmanaged devices elsewhere on the network.
Secure imaging environments
High-value modalities such as MRI machines and CT scanners can be ringfenced to ensure that they communicate only with authorized Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) servers and necessary supporting systems. This significantly reduces their exposure to internet-based exploitation risks.
Isolate compromised or unknown devices
Our platform allows organizations to automatically place suspicious or newly observed devices into restricted zones. This ensures containment until the behavior and role of the device can be fully validated.
Control and monitor vendor-managed systems
External vendor access can be strictly limited to defined operational needs. Maintaining full visibility and auditability over these connections reduces the risk of overly broad or unmonitored external access.
Segment building and facility systems
Facility technologies — such as badge readers, security cameras, and HVAC controllers — can be isolated into their own microsegments. This prevents minor environmental systems from becoming lateral movement paths into critical patient data networks.
Secure remote access with identity validation
By pairing network segmentation with identity-based controls, organizations ensure that remote users can only access the specific systems they are explicitly authorized to use. This blocks external access and prevents adversaries from pivoting across network segments.
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation delivers the visibility, intelligence, and precision required to protect devices in clinical environments by containing threats and supporting safe and reliable healthcare operations. |
Alignment with clinical safety and infrastructure
What makes Akamai Guardicore Segmentation distinct is its ability to secure complex medical environments without introducing operational friction or requiring network downtime.
Our solution supports a wide range of network architectures and legacy hardware without requiring hardware additions, replacements, or complex redesigns. By enforcing least-privilege access and granular control over communication paths inside the network, Akamai Guardicore Segmentation successfully stops ransomware and IoT malware from moving across clinical networks.
Ultimately, these network-level controls protect legacy, unpatchable systems while maintaining uninterrupted patient care and aligning directly with clinical safety requirements.
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