Security implications in the transformation of healthcare through internet of things devices

Abstract

Africa has a growing industry producing medical devices for the developing world that are ASSURED: Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid, Equipment-free and Deliverable to end-users. This industry and more generally healthcare in Africa benefits by adding security to ASSURED. This paper investigates two questions related to security for IoT medical solutions: 1.) What are the vulnerable security points in an IoT based medical system; and 2.) How can these vulnerabilities be hardened? To answer these questions, a security reference architecture is identified that can be the framework for identifying, understanding, teaching and mitigating threats in the various modules of an IoT healthcare solution.