# Health IoT Threats: Survey of Risks and Vulnerabilities
## 5 Discussion  
In healthcare IoT systems, there are multiple layers of the system vulnerable to security and privacy risks. The architecture of a typical IoT platform in the healthcare domain and the associated threats are illustrated in Figure 4.  
The perception layer is essential for data capture and transmission in healthcare IoT systems. However, as shown in Figure 4, the widespread use of devices and sensors in this layer has increased security risks, including unauthorized access, data breaches, and DoS attacks. This includes wearable and wellness devices, implantable medical devices (e.g., insulin pumps), medical equipment, and patient monitoring systems. Securing the perception layer is difficult due to the number of connected devices, limited resources, and lack of industry standards. Continuous research and collaboration among healthcare professionals, cybersecurity experts, and technology vendors are necessary to identify vulnerabilities and develop effective security solutions. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline \hline
**Characteristic** & **Description** & **Vulnerabilities** \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{Impact on Data Integrity} & Ensures that patient data are accurate and unmodified during its collection, storage, and transmission by focusing a strong focus on its integrity & Data tampering, packet spoofing, man-in-the-middle attacks, malware, replay attacks \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{Threat to Patient Safety} & Detects weaknesses that can directly compromise the health and safety of patients by damaging medical equipment or postponing treatments & Device tampering, ransomware, DoS attacks, physical attacks on medical devices \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{System Availability} & Concerns about risks that could block access to medical data or healthcare services, causing delays in treatment or system failures & Denial-of-service (DoS), distributed DoS (DDoS), congestion attacks, black hole and gray hole attacks \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{Attack Nature} & Classifies vulnerabilities into three categories: application layer based, network layer based, and physical layer based & Physical attacks, malware, phishing, jamming, network attacks, SQL injection, cross-site scripting \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{Exposure Level} & Evaluates the level of system exposure while considering the heterogeneity of networks and devices and how vulnerable they are to outside attacks & Eavesdropping, unauthorized access, sniffing attacks, weak encryption, unpatched vulnerabilities \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 8: Taxonomy of Characteristics and Corresponding Vulnerabilities. The network layer is also vulnerable to cyberattacks due to insecure communication protocols, inadequate authentication mechanisms, and the use of legacy devices and outdated software. Healthcare organizations need to implement appropriate security controls, such as using up-to-date software and security patches, conducting regular security assessments and testing, and ensuring that legacy devices and software are updated and protected against known vulnerabilities. The application layer of healthcare IoT systems includes both data storage and processing and user interface and services. This layer is vulnerable to various security and privacy issues, including weak credentials, ransomware, and DDoS attacks. Healthcare organizations can mitigate these risks by implementing appropriate security controls, such as data encryption, access control, and regular security assessments and testing. Emerging technologies like blockchain and secure software development practices can provide additional layers of security. Healthcare organizations need to ensure that patients are informed about the risks and benefits of using IoT devices and provided with options for controlling the use of their data. Regular training and awareness programs can also help prevent security incidents and ensure that employees are aware of the risks associated with IoT devices.