Why MedTech now needs security testing that understands the whole threat landscape

In the past, cyber security testing for medical technologies was largely about regulatory compliance: demonstrating that a device or platform met the necessary standards before it went to market. Today, that mindset is dangerously out of date. Attackers have shifted focus, techniques have evolved, and the MedTech sector has become a high-value, high-impact target. Testing now has to go deeper, wider and smarter, because the risks are no longer theoretical.

The rise of medjacking illustrates the new reality. Threat actors are no longer simply stealing data; they are manipulating or weaponising connected medical technologies themselves. A compromised device can be forced to malfunction, be re-purposed for malicious use, or become an entry point into wider clinical networks. In this environment, insufficient testing is not just a regulatory exposure, it is a clinical safety issue. A single exploit can harm patients, disrupt care pathways and expose manufacturers to significant liability.

At the same time, the MedTech sector is expanding at extraordinary pace. With £36.8 billion in annual turnover, 1,400 companies, and a 14% growth rate, the UK market is one of the most dynamic healthcare ecosystems in the world. But it is also one of the most vulnerable. Healthcare providers report anywhere from 10 to 350+ cyber incidents a year, driven by legacy technology, unpatched systems and insecure devices. Every one of these weak points is an open door - and adversaries know it.

Keeping pace with innovation

That’s why thorough, expert-led testing is rapidly moving from ‘best practice’ to essential practice. Today’s connected devices sit within complex ecosystems: embedded firmware, mobile apps, cloud platforms, APIs, diagnostic platforms, and clinical networks all interdepend. Testing one element in isolation is no longer enough. Attackers don’t respect these boundaries, so neither can testing methodologies.

Modern MedTech security demands specialists who understand the full threat landscape: the techniques used by sophisticated actors, the nuances of IoMT behaviour, the regulatory pressures facing manufacturers, and the practical realities of NHS and FDA environments. It requires teams capable of simulating real-world attacks across hardware, software and cloud: reverse-engineering firmware, probing every interface, analysing misconfigurations, and identifying vulnerabilities that automated tools will never detect.

Crucially, manufacturers need partners whose testing keeps pace with innovation. Medical technologies are evolving quickly, from smart prosthetics to AI-driven diagnostics, and that demands cybersecurity capability that is equally agile. The combination of advanced penetration testers and active Research & Development teams enables deeper, more rigorous assessment: evaluating not just what the device does today, but what emerging threats could do tomorrow.

The message is simple: as regulation tightens and threats escalate, security has to be paramount. It must be integrated, continuous and expertly delivered by people who understand the sector end to end. Thorough testing protects patients. It protects clinicians. And it protects the innovators driving the next generation of medical advances.

For MedTech companies, the question is no longer the pragmatic ‘What testing do we need for certification?’ but an altogether more fundamental one of ‘Are we testing deeply enough, with the right expertise, to meet the threats ahead?’