FDAnews Announces Cybersecurity Threats to Medical Devices Webinar, Oct. 18

Online, September 27, 2013 (Newswire.com) - There's a growing crisis in medical devices: cybersecurity. The FDA is concerned. Hackers are at the ready. Patient injury or death, bad publicity and potentially huge financial consequences are on the horizon.

Earlier this year, security experts decided to see how easy it would be to hack into medical devices in hospitals. They stopped at 300 breaches.

Are devicemakers ready to face the threat of cyber-criminals? Short answer: No. Longer answer: Not even close.

And guess what? The FDA knows it.

In June, the FDA issued a safety communication, Cybersecurity for Medical Devices and Hospital Networks, that sounded the alarm. Devicemakers have a lot of catching up to do - and not much time in which to do it.

But help is at hand from Symantec, the Norton Security folks. Symantec wrote the book on cybersecurity. Now a Symantec expert is teaming up with FDAnews to spell out what devicemakers must know.

Axel Wirth, Symantec expert on medical device security, is your guide. In just 90 minutes of intense review, you'll discover how to evaluate cybersecurity protection programs in your setting, and develop new programs to fit your ongoing needs.

Mr. Wirth and FDAnews have developed a cybersecurity compliance plan that can jump-start current efforts. You'll discover how to:

• Understand and evaluate the latest device-level protection technology
• Learn the value of the "Blacklisting/Whitelisting" technique to improve protection via smart risk assessment and management
• Anticipate limitations constraining embedded systems from protecting your devices against hacks or other intrusions

What will Mr. Wirth cover specifically?

• The growing crisis in medical device hacks and attacks
• Ticking time bombs: Embedded software devices connected to networked systems
• What hackers are after: New motivations for attacking medical devices
• The #1 way attacks get started (You likely have one within arm's reach!)
• The Stuxnet virus: Its relevance to medical devices
• A cybersecurity protection strategy for "single-purpose systems"
• A Host Intrusion Prevention Systems (HIPS) to protect critical multi-layer systems
• Tips, tools and case studies from the IHE PCD MEM Working Group
• Industry resources: MDISS, IEC 80001-1, NEMA MDS2, CMDB, FDA MAUDE
• And much more

Sometime later this year, the FDA will have new power to deny approval of devices that don't come with adequate cybersecurity protection plans. You want your ducks in a row before that happens. Don't hesitate - Register now at www.fdanews.com/CybersecurityPR3

Who Will Benefit
Here's a suggested list of potential participants from your organization:

• Medical device software designers and engineers
• Information technology and system network directors
• IT security professionals
• QA/QC directors
• Regulatory affairs and compliance professionals
• Compliance officers
• Training managers

Meet Your Instructor
Axel Wirth is National Healthcare Solutions Analyst at Symantec, the Norton Security people. Mr. Wirth is a leading expert on medical device cybersecurity programs and a frequent leader of medical-device cybersecurity seminars nationwide. A regular contributor to 24x7 Magazine, he previously held the post of Senior Director-Business Strategies HIS and CIS at Afga HealthCare, and Programs Manager at Siemens.

Conference Details
Cybersecurity Threats to Medical Devices
Crush the Hackers Before They Crush You
**FDAnews Webinar**
Oct. 18, 2013 - 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. EDT
www.fdanews.com/CybersecurityPR3

Tuition
$547 per site -- includes webinar registration and audio cds and transcripts

Easy Ways to Register
Online: www.fdanews.com/CybersecurityPR3
By phone: 888-838-5578 or 703-538-7600