Feds Probe Medical Devices for Possible Cyber Flaws

According to this article the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is investigating around two dozen cases of suspected cybersecurity flaws in certain medical devices that they fear could be exploited by hackers. The product under suspicion is an infusion pump and implantable heart device. The specific worry that Homeland Security has is that these devices could be accessed by hackers who could then control them remotely and use them to purposefully overdose a patient by using the infusion pump, or use the heart implant to deliver a jolt of electricity.

While there have not been any instances of hackers ever attacking patients though these devices this article is a very interesting one because it raises some questions and problems that will only become more and more pressing as time goes on. As time goes on more and more people will have devices such as these implanted inside of them, and it is most likely that the devices themselves will be more connected to the outside world. This is a good thing because it could provide valuable data for doctors, make caring for patients easier, and provide the patients themselves with important information. But this increasing functionality and connectedness is also a problem because then the devices could be exploited by hackers looking to gain information on their target or even harm them. One of the many things that people think will become a technology of the future is wearable technology that will do things such as monitor location, heartbeat, pulse, and provide relevant information to the wearer when needed. What people don’t think about is that if you wear this it means someone could potentially know exactly where you are, whether or not you’re sleeping, and other information such as that.

Already we are seeing that an overreliance on technology can lead to problems (leaked celebrity photos, hacked bank accounts, etc.) and as technology develops and is used for more and more things the potential for these things to be hacked increases. Very soon we will have to address these issues because technology and the internet are becoming more and more a part of our daily lives, meaning more and more of our lives is out there for anyone to see.

http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/gadgets/feds-probe-medical-devices-possible-cyber-flaws-n231601