Risk to defibrillators from hackers extremely low, but could grow
Researchers have demonstrated it's possible for hackers to manipulate newer heart defibrillators that wirelessly transmit medical data to a nearby device connected to the Internet. They say it's technically possible, though highly unlikely, for a hacker to stop a defibrillator from delivering a life saving shock to the heart, or steal personal and medical information as it's being transmitted.
However, the risk to patients is extremely low, according to William Maisell, director of the Medical Device Safety Institute at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and one of the study's authors.
Researchers hacked into an implantable device made by Medtronic. Company spokesman Rob Clark said the risk of any "deliberate, malicious or unauthorized manipulation of a device is extremely low." And he says future versions capable of transmitting signals as far as 30 feet from a patient will incorporate stronger security.
Still, security expert Bruce Schneier says device makers should take the research seriously and urges them to think more about security as they're designing new devices.