How Vail Health Ensures Consistent Medical Device Security and Firmware Patching

"While we are constantly monitoring network health and completing mechanical preventative maintenance, there was a gap in addressing software and firmware updates or threats directly related to the network-connected or capable medical devices," said Alex Popov, IT security analyst at Vail Health.

Vail Health implemented monitoring tools able to capture a lot of information relating to the devices that are connected, and these tools provide staff with security alerts to the best of their ability.

Spotlight is an HSS medical-device-security service. The HSS team members working with Vail Health are using several different tools to compose a clearer picture of what security issues need to be addressed and pinpoint the specific devices and servers.

While the program still is in early stages, Vail Health confirms success by scanning each asset and ensuring that the targeted vulnerabilities have been patched and can be considered as resolved, Popov explained.