Towards Resilient Cyber-Physical eHealth Systems

Abstract

Current eHealth systems are cyber-physical systems (CPS) making safety-critical decisions based on information from other systems not known during development. To achieve the trust of users, measures of safety have to be taken into consideration in accordance with the "privacy by design" approach. This requires secure storage of information and guaranteeing safe exchange of data preventing unauthorized access, loss of data and cyber-attacks. From citizens’ point of view, eHealth is wholeness in which sectors of information security (availability/confidentiality/integrity) hold true. Present procedures emphasize confidentiality at the expense of integrity and availability, and regulations/instructions are used as an excuse not to change even vital information. The mental-picture of cyber security should turn from “threat, crime, attack” to “trust”. Creating confidence in safe digital future is truly needed in the integration of the digital and physical world’s leading to a new digital revolution. The precondition for the exchange of information “trust” must be systematically built at every CPS’ level (cyber, platform, and people).