Medical devices that could put you at security risk

Everyone has heard of connected insulin pumps and pace makers, but there are some other connected medical devices that might surprise you. Each of them of course pose a security risk to you and your health.

Mandeep Khera, Internet of Things security expert at Arxan, ran through some of these lesser known devices. Made famous by Dick Cheney’s disconnected IoT pacemaker, the security community is abuzz with speculation about potential dangers that could result from a hacked connected medical device.

And while pacemakers and insulin pumps have received their 15 minutes of fame, there are a myriad of other connected medical “things” that are either already available or in development, Khera said.

“Although these things have yet to be maliciously hacked (as far as we know), they could pose a threat in the future. There have been attempts made at hacking various connected devices and it’s only a matter of time before it happens,” he said.

Hacking on these devices can have various consequences from ransomware to loss of life. Which is why the Food and Drug Administration is taking this so seriously, he said, and has created strict guidelines for both pre-market and post-market devices. Here is a look at some of the latest developments in connected medical devices:

1. Brain implants – Connected brain implants are being used to treat seizures, Parkinson’s, and even OCD. Patients with smart brain implants pass a wand-like device over the implant, which uploads brain activity to the cloud. This process allows doctors to monitor patient brain function to make informed decisions regarding care. According to a story by NBC, across the nation, 128 of them have been installed since the FDA approved the device in 2013. Clinical trials showed a 38 percent drop in the average number of seizures per month.

2. Vital monitors – Developments in vital monitoring technology now grant healthcare providers with real-time access to important clinical measurements, including patient temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate.