Medical Device Penetration Testing

One piece of your FDA cybersecurity evidence — not a standalone compliance step.

Connect penetration testing to your device's security risks and FDA submission evidence. Medcrypt supports threat modeling, risk management, and testing considerations. Qualified independent testers perform the penetration tests.

Your FDA cybersecurity evidence

  • Threat model
  • Security requirements
  • SBOM & vulnerability scanning
  • Risk documentation
  • Penetration test reportValidates your security controls

What gets tested

  • Wireless Interfaces

    Bluetooth/BLE, Wi-Fi, cellular, and proprietary RF links between the device and its base station or gateway.

  • Firmware & Local Access

    Debug ports (JTAG, UART), bootloader security, and firmware update/signing mechanisms.

  • Cloud & Companion Apps

    Device-to-cloud authentication and the APIs and mobile apps the device connects through.

  • Clinical Protocols

    DICOM, HL7/FHIR, or other healthcare-specific protocols the device communicates over, where applicable.

  • Physical & Hardware

    Tamper resistance, exposed ports, and key-extraction risk, scoped to the device's threat model.

How a penetration test runs

  1. Scope

    Tied to the device's threat model.

  2. Test

    Independent testers, production-matched hardware and firmware.

  3. Report

    Mapped to FDA's nine expected reporting elements.

  4. Close Findings

    Each finding linked to severity (CVSS) and separately assessed for patient-safety risk.

100% FDA approval rate to date

The same track record behind every Medcrypt submission, applied to how pen test findings get closed out and documented.

Medcrypt's company-wide track record

These figures describe Medcrypt's broader medical-device cybersecurity work, not penetration-testing engagements or testing-specific outcomes.

medical device manufacturers supported company-wide
leading global MDMs in Medcrypt's company-wide track record
projects delivered across Medcrypt's work

Pen testing alone vs. pen testing + MSI

Pen Testing Alone

A point-in-time check. Gaps in traceability, timing, and coverage show up later in review.

Pen Testing + MSI

Continuous evidence, linked to risk documentation, ready for submission.

See why pen testing alone isn't enough

How Medcrypt supports your team

Medcrypt supports risk management and documentation around testing performed by qualified independent testers.

Our role is the surrounding cybersecurity and regulatory work. Independent qualified testers execute the penetration test; your team retains responsibility for the device's safety risk decisions.

  1. Define the risk context

    Medcrypt helps refine threat models and risk assessments that inform independent test scope.

    Build the risk context for the test

    Our experts help develop or refine your threat model and cybersecurity risk assessment. Use that architecture and risk context to define test objectives, key assets, interfaces, and controls with the independent testing firm. The scope should follow the device, not a generic scan.

    See threat modeling support
  2. Plan lifecycle testing

    Medcrypt helps integrate SBOM generation, vulnerability scanning, and testing considerations throughout device development.

    Place testing in the development lifecycle

    Medcrypt helps integrate SBOM generation, vulnerability scanning, and security testing considerations into development. Code review, static and dynamic analysis, interface testing, and SBOM analysis address different weaknesses. The final premarket penetration test validates controls after earlier testing findings have been addressed.

  3. Connect evidence to risk

    Medcrypt supports risk documentation that connects independent test results, controls, remediation, and residual risks.

    Connect test evidence to risk documentation

    Medcrypt supports cybersecurity risk management and submission readiness. The testing firm's report should document methods, scope, exclusions, test dates, tester qualifications, and evidence of exploitation. Connect those results to requirements, controls, remediation, and residual-risk decisions in your submission documentation.

    See cybersecurity consulting services
  4. Maintain postmarket evidence

    Medcrypt helps establish monitoring and patch strategies; major device changes can warrant retesting.

    Maintain the evidence after release

    Our services help establish vulnerability monitoring and patch strategies. Penetration testing does not replace postmarket surveillance, disclosure, or safe update processes. Major changes to architecture, connectivity, cryptography, or the update system can warrant repeat testing with independent testers.

Questions about penetration testing

No. A penetration test contributes objective evidence, but it does not replace threat modeling, security requirements, vulnerability scanning, SBOM analysis, or other security testing. The submission also needs traceable risk documentation, control rationale, remediation and residual-risk decisions, and postmarket vulnerability and update plans. A clean test report is not a certification or an FDA approval guarantee.

Qualified independent testers simulate attacks and document the technical findings. Medcrypt's support described on this page covers threat modeling, cybersecurity risk management, security testing considerations, and submission readiness. It does not describe in-house penetration-test execution. Agree the actual test scope and execution responsibilities with the testing firm, and document its methods and tester qualifications.

The unit under test should accurately represent the final product intended for market deployment. Its hardware, software, interfaces, connectivity, and intended operating environment inform the scope. Record the conditions of testing, proximity to the device, tools, equipment, and any exclusions. Give testers the threat model, risk assessment, requirements, and design documentation so they can validate relevant controls and report reproducible evidence.

Document each finding as a risk or map it to an existing risk, then mitigate it or record its residual-risk disposition. Preserve technical details and exploitation evidence so the weakness and the control response can be verified. CVSS scores technical severity; it does not assess potential harm to patients or operators. Qualified safety risk management professionals and clinical teams assess safety and effectiveness within the device's risk management process.

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