Software Level Security and Privacy Attacks and Challenges in Healthcare Systems

The widespread adoption of electronic healthcare technology holds immerse promise for improving clinical outcomes and transforming healthcare delivery. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated the use of Internet of things (IoT), Cloud Computing, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for pandemic data analysis, remote diagnostics, use of wireless medical devices and public information services. This surge in usage and integration of smart devices, often connected through healthcare apps has also introduced new cyber-security and concerns. The vast amount of personal data, including health information, makes healthcare systems a prime target for cybercriminals who could exploit it for harassment and fraudulent purposes. Additionally, the increased reliance on anytime, anywhere connectivity creates vulnerabilities in wireless medical devices. Recent reports highlight these threats, with examples including privacy breaches, ransomware attacks, and disruptions in communication channels for medical devices, Such security breaches can erode patient trust, cripple healthcare systems and even endanger lives. to facilitate users also increases various cyber threats. In recent times, privacy attacks on This paper reviews the recent software-level security and privacy threats in smart healthcare systems, explores mitigation techniques proposed in the literature, and discuss the future challenges of software security in smart healthcare.