14 DAY TRIAL // Present at the BreakPoint security conference, Barnaby Jack, a researcher at IOActive, demonstrated how pacemakers coud be hacked and reprogrammed to serve a malicious purpose.
According to the expert, the terminals that communicate with the pacemakers are not secure at all. It’s trivial for an attacker to gain access to authentication information, SC Magazine informs.
Someone with an evil agenda could easily replace the device’s firmware, collect patient data and even command an 830 volt electrical shock. The worst part is that all these operations can be executed from a 30-foot distance.
The vulnerabilities could be leveraged not only for anonymous assassinations, but also for mass murder if the attacker can load a compromised firmware update onto a terminal.
The researcher claims that his goal is not to endanger those who rely on these devices, but to make manufacturers see the risks and get them to properly secure their products.