Secure-by-Design Product Security for Connected MedTech

Introduction

A leading MedTech company developing connected medical devices and companion mobile applications sought to strengthen cybersecurity across its product ecosystem. While Tata Elxsi was initially engaged to support application security through Static Application Security Testing (SAST), the success of the engagement led to a broader product security transformation initiative. The program progressively expanded to encompass software supply chain security, product security engineering, governance, developer enablement, and Secure-by-Design adoption, helping embed cybersecurity throughout the product development lifecycle. 

Challenge

As healthcare products become increasingly connected and software-driven, organizations face growing pressure to strengthen security posture, regulatory compliance, and cyber resilience. However, existing security practices were often fragmented and reactive, creating challenges in proactively managing risks, securing the software supply chain, and embedding security across the product engineering lifecycle.

Key challenges included:

• Security assessments were largely focused on validation activities rather than continuous risk management
• Software supply chain visibility was limited across open-source and third-party components
• Security risks were often identified later in development, increasing remediation effort and release impact
• Product teams lacked a standardized Secure-by-Design framework for proactive security engineering
• Security ownership was concentrated within specialist teams instead of being embedded within engineering functions
• Growing healthcare cybersecurity and regulatory expectations required stronger governance and security maturity practices

Solution

To strengthen product security posture and establish a proactive security culture, the organization partnered with Tata Elxsi to implement a comprehensive Secure-by-Design Product Security Program. The initiative embedded security throughout the product development lifecycle, enhanced software supply chain governance, and enabled continuous risk management, resulting in measurable improvements in security maturity, vulnerability remediation, and engineering accountability.

The solution included:

Expanded an initial SAST engagement into a comprehensive Secure-by-Design Product Security Program spanning devices, mobile applications, APIs, and supporting ecosystems
Embedded security controls across architecture, design, development, testing, and release phases of the SDLC resulting in 95% reduction in late-stage security findings
Institutionalized threat modeling and risk assessment processes to identify and mitigate security risks at the earliest stages of development
Established continuous security validation through SAST, DAST, VAPT, API security reviews, and remediation workflows
Delivered SBOM-driven software supply chain governance to improve visibility and management of third-party software risks
Assessed and prioritized 5,000+ vulnerabilities using a risk-based remediation framework
Implemented shift-left security practices that drove a 70% reduction in late-stage security findings
Established product security governance frameworks and maturity benchmarks to guide continuous improvement
Accelerated vulnerability management processes, enabling up to 80% faster remediation cycles through engineering collaboration

Impact

Tata Elxsi enabled the customer to evolve from isolated security testing to an integrated Secure-by-Design product security ecosystem, improving security maturity, software supply chain visibility, engineering ownership, and long-term cybersecurity resilience.

The implementation transformed security from a reactive validation function into a proactive engineering discipline by establishing a scalable Secure-by-Design framework. Through organization-wide shift-left adoption and SBOM-driven software supply chain governance, the organization strengthened security ownership, improved risk visibility, and accelerated product release readiness with 80% faster vulnerability remediation cycles.

• 70% reduction in late-stage security findings through proactive shift-left security integration
• 5,000+ vulnerabilities assessed and prioritized across applications, APIs, and connected product software
• 90% software supply chain visibility achieved through SBOM-driven component analysis and risk management
• Accelerated vulnerability remediation through direct collaboration between security and engineering teams
• Embedded security across the SDLC, enabling earlier risk detection and prevention
• Improved product security maturity through governance, benchmarking, and continuous assessment practices
• Strengthened cybersecurity posture and regulatory readiness across connected medical device and mobile application ecosystems

Key services delivered

• Static Application Security Testing (SAST) integrated into development workflows
• Product threat modeling and security risk assessments
• Vulnerability Assessment & Penetration Testing (VAPT)
• Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) and vulnerability validation 
• Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) generation and analysis 
• Software supply chain security and third-party risk assessment
• API security assessments and secure development guidance
• Security maturity benchmarking, governance, and shift-left enablement