Securing healthcare facilities with next-generation firewalls – IXPERTA implemented advanced cybersecurity infrastructure at St. Michael’s University Hospital to protect sensitive patient data and ensure compliance with evolving regulations.
The Cybersecurity Act and the new NIS2 directive extend requirements to thousands of additional organizations, including healthcare institutions. Hospitals are among the most at-risk targets of cyberattacks, making robust IT security critical. IXPERTA supports multiple healthcare organizations in strengthening information and cybersecurity, with St. Michael’s Hospital among the key projects.
Initial Situation
St. Michael’s University Hospital provides specialized care primarily for departments of the Slovak Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense. In addition to its main building in Bratislava, the hospital operates two other facilities in the capital, one in Košice, and nine more across Slovakia.
The hospital faced serious gaps in IT and data center security. Existing infrastructure did not meet the requirements of Act 69/2018 on Cybersecurity or the upcoming EU NIS2 directive. Outdated systems required a complete modernization — which IXPERTA successfully delivered.
Proposed Solution
IXPERTA implemented a comprehensive security solution focused on access control, IT infrastructure monitoring, and data protection. The hospital environment presented unique challenges: a large number of users, the need to protect highly sensitive patient data, and multiple systems from different vendors requiring compatibility.
Our solution provided:
- Deployment of next-generation firewalls at two key locations — the main hospital building in Bratislava and the Košice branch.
- Centralized log management and secure storage systems.
- Internet access protection via redundant NGFWs serving as gateways for VLANs, equipped with Firewall, IPS, Antivirus, sandboxing, and threat extraction.
- Redundancy and resilience ensured through Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation (MLAG).
The project, titled “Enhancing Governance and Cybersecurity in Healthcare Facilities with Next-Generation Firewalls”, was co-financed by EU funds under OPII-2022. IXPERTA also supported the hospital with the administrative processes for grant funding.
Implementation Process
The project covered operations, security, and data storage infrastructure and was executed in phases:
- Specification of configurations
- Deployment, firmware upgrades, rack installation, and L1 connections
- LAN re-segmentation, SPI, NAT, and security configuration
- Management and reporting setup
- Post-scan and firewall penetration testing (NSS Labs methodology)
- Delivery of full project documentation and governance
Benefits of the Solution
St. Michael’s Hospital particularly values the advantages of the new centralized firewalls:
- Unified management through logical stacking
- Seamless software upgrades without service disruption
- Enhanced redundancy and scalability
Key Figures
- 2.5 Gbps throughput with all protections enabled
- 3.8 million minimum concurrent connections supported
- 50 users remote access VPN capacity
Client Testimonial
“Following the implementation with IXPERTA, we elevated the hospital’s cybersecurity to a new technological level. We see this as a milestone in modernizing and maintaining the safe operation of healthcare services.”
Mgr. Martin Dzurilla, Head of IT Department
About St. Michael’s University Hospital
St. Michael’s University Hospital provides specialized and general healthcare services across multiple facilities in Bratislava, Košice, and beyond. Known for its scientific research and innovation, the hospital translates advancements directly into patient care, ensuring access to the latest trends in healthcare delivery.
About IXPERTA
With over 30 years in the ICT market, IXPERTA delivers advanced solutions in enterprise communications, cybersecurity, software development, and IT infrastructure. Operating across Central Europe, Asia, and North America, IXPERTA provides end-to-end services from strategy and design to implementation and operations, helping organizations build secure and future-ready IT ecosystems.
Published: 17. July 2025