Hack Attacks Warning On Medical Implants
April 11th, 2012Via: Tech Week Europe:
Security firms have warned hackers could use radio signals to attack pacemakers and other medical implants, potentially killing people.
Researchers from McAfee have shown they can take control of insulin pumps implanted inside diabetes patients, while scientists at the University of Massachussetts have shown they can use radio attacks to turn off defibrillators inside heart patients.
Implants such as pacemakers and insulin pumps, sit within patients and keep them alive. They are increasingly being given radio communications so they can be remotely controlled and updated, minimising the number of times they need to be accessed through surgery, and allowing information to be sent and received.
The problem is that the security on the radio link is breakable, and the implants’ operation can be remotely over-ridden.
