The IoT Security Foundation (IoTSF) Bharat Chapter, in collaboration with GE HealthCare, brought together industry experts and technology leaders on Tuesday 6th October for CyberConnect 2026, an event focused on the cybersecurity challenges facing connected healthcare and medical devices.
Held at GE HealthCare’s John F. Welch Technology Centre (JFWTC) in Bengaluru, the event, entitled Cyber Sentinel Dialogue: Guarding Data and Safeguarding Care, explored the importance of securing connected medical devices, from supply chain integrity and Secure by Design principles through to cybersecurity management throughout their operational lifecycle.
As healthcare becomes increasingly connected, medical devices that once operated as standalone systems are now integrated with hospital networks, cloud platforms, clinical applications and other connected technologies. While these developments offer significant opportunities to improve patient care and clinical efficiency, they also introduce new cybersecurity risks that must be addressed to protect patients, sensitive health information and essential healthcare services.
Addressing the Cybersecurity Challenges of Connected Healthcare
The event featured expert presentations and discussions covering several critical areas of medical-device cybersecurity, including:
– Supply Chain Security: Identifying and mitigating risks associated with hardware components, firmware, third-party software and the wider connected-device ecosystem
– Standards and Regulations: Understanding the evolving international regulatory landscape, cybersecurity standards and industry best practices relevant to connected medical devices
– Secure by Design: Integrating cybersecurity into device architecture, engineering and development from the outset, including approaches to hardening Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) devices
– Security Auditing: Addressing the challenges of assessing cybersecurity across diverse medical-device platforms, including environments beyond conventional Android-based systems
– Lifecycle Security: Ensuring cybersecurity remains a priority throughout a device’s operational life, from provisioning and deployment through to vulnerability management, software updates, continuous monitoring and end-of-life management
Moving Beyond Secure by Design
A central theme emerging from the discussions was that cybersecurity cannot be treated as a one-off design activity or certification requirement.
Although Secure by Design provides an essential foundation, connected medical devices require ongoing security management to address emerging threats, vulnerabilities and changing operational environments.
The discussions emphasised the importance of adopting a comprehensive lifecycle approach that combines robust engineering practices, supply chain assurance, regulatory compliance, security auditing and continuous vulnerability management.
With connected medical devices playing an increasingly critical role in healthcare delivery, effective cybersecurity is fundamental not only to protecting technology and patient data but also to maintaining patient safety, clinical continuity and trust in connected healthcare systems.
Industry Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing
CyberConnect 2026 provided an opportunity for GE HealthCare teams and the wider cybersecurity community to exchange knowledge, share practical experiences and discuss approaches to strengthening medical-device security.
The event brought together GE HealthCare representatives, including Sivani Peesapati, Navdeep Aggarwal, and Rashmi Iyer.
Representing the IoT Security Foundation were Vinay Kumar Yedurmane Nagaraj, together with industry mentors Vivek Mathur and Akash Saksena, who contributed to the discussions and helped facilitate the exchange of industry knowledge and expertise.
The IoT Security Foundation extends its thanks to GE HealthCare for hosting the event at its John F. Welch Technology Centre and supporting an important dialogue on the future of connected healthcare cybersecurity.
Building a More Secure Connected Healthcare Ecosystem
The discussions at CyberConnect 2026 reinforced the need for continued collaboration between medical-device manufacturers, technology suppliers, cybersecurity specialists, healthcare providers and standards organisations.
As healthcare systems become more connected, securing devices throughout their lifecycle requires a coordinated approach encompassing Secure by Design engineering, supply chain resilience, regulatory alignment, security auditing and ongoing vulnerability management.
Through initiatives such as CyberConnect 2026, the IoT Security Foundation continues to support industry engagement, knowledge sharing and the adoption of cybersecurity best practices across the connected-device ecosystem.
The event reinforced a central message: In connected healthcare, cybersecurity is about more than protecting devices and networks. It’s about safeguarding patients, ensuring the continuity of essential healthcare services and building lasting trust in the technologies on which modern healthcare increasingly depends.