Steps to Take to Safeguard Your Hospital Technologies from a Cyberattack

Unfortunately, cybercriminals recognize the critical role these technologies play. Healthcare organizations continue to be prime targets for ransomware, malware, and other cyberattacks that can disrupt operations, compromise sensitive patient information, and even delay lifesaving care. Cyberattacks in healthcare systems increased by 21% in 2025 alone and continue to rise globally. Software and legacy systems that are not updated have become one of the most serious overall hospital cybersecurity threats. Many of these attacks succeed because they exploit outdated software, unsupported medical devices, or delayed security updates. 

How can hospitals safeguard their systems and equipment against cyberattacks? 

Reducing cyberattack risk in hospitals requires more than responding to threats as they emerge. Hospitals need a proactive, lifecycle-based strategy that strengthens technology, processes, and vendor partnerships. Here are three areas of focus to help healthcare organizations better protect their systems and maintain operational resilience.

Keeping medical equipment and software up to date is one of the most effective ways to reduce cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Legacy systems that run unsupported operating systems or outdated software become increasingly difficult to secure over time, creating opportunities for attackers. 

Hospitals should: 

• Develop phased end-of-life replacement plans for legacy equipment running unsupported software. 
• Include long-term maintenance and patch support requirements in purchasing agreements. 
• Allocate budgets for regular technology upgrades to maintain security, reliability, and compliance. 

By planning for technology refreshes rather than reacting to equipment failures, hospitals can minimize disruptions while reducing long-term hospital cybersecurity risk. 

2. Improve Patch Management 

Security patches are designed to address known vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. However, applying updates across a healthcare environment requires careful planning to avoid interrupting critical hospital operations.

Hospitals can strengthen patch management by: 

• Prioritizing updates for systems that have the greatest impact on patient care and safety. 
• Using automated monitoring tools to identify unpatched devices and software. 
• Testing updates in staging environments before deploying them to live systems. 
• Scheduling maintenance during low-activity periods to minimize operational disruptions. 
• Implementing virtual patching to reduce risk until official updates become available. 

A structured patch management program helps hospitals stay ahead of emerging threats while maintaining system stability. 

3. Strengthen Vendor Accountability 

Cybersecurity should extend beyond internal IT teams. Medical device manufacturers, software providers, and third-party service organizations all play an important role in maintaining secure healthcare environments. 

Hospitals should establish clear expectations by: 

• Requiring vendors to meet clearly defined timelines for delivering security patches and software updates. 
• Managing third-party service providers through comprehensive service agreements. 
• Ensuring vendor compliance with applicable cybersecurity regulations and healthcare security standards. 
• Mandating Software Maintenance/Management Agreements and Statements of Work to improve accountability and transparency. 
• Restricting vendor access to secure, monitored communication channels. 
• Linking contract renewals to ongoing security support and timely software maintenance. 

Strong vendor partnerships help ensure cybersecurity responsibilities remain clearly defined throughout the technology lifecycle.

Hospital cybersecurity is no longer a one-time project. It should be an ongoing operational priority. As healthcare technology continues to evolve, organizations must take a proactive approach to managing risks throughout the entire lifecycle of their systems and equipment. 

Effective patch management, timely technology upgrades, and strong vendor accountability all contribute to a more secure healthcare environment. Equally important is ensuring that third-party service providers understand and fulfill their cybersecurity responsibilities, creating a stronger and more resilient supply chain. 

By investing in secure technologies, maintaining current systems, and partnering with trusted vendors committed to cybersecurity best practices, hospitals can significantly reduce cyber risk while protecting patient information, supporting uninterrupted care, and strengthening operational resilience for the future.

Technology partners also play a critical role in helping hospitals strengthen their cybersecurity posture. Swisslog Healthcare and TransLogic are committed to supporting healthcare organizations through secure system design, proactive monitoring, vulnerability and patch management, and ongoing lifecycle support. 

Our approach includes compliance with healthcare cybersecurity standards and HITRUST certification, which provides a comprehensive, standardized framework for identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities. This framework also supports continuous security testing, rapid incident detection, and effective response strategies to help healthcare organizations remain resilient against evolving cyberthreats. 

By incorporating cybersecurity into every stage of system implementation and long-term support, hospitals can better protect both their technology investments and the patients who rely on them.