Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Heart Wars: Anti Hacker Cloaking Device Proposed for Pacemakers

Filed under: Society

Researchers at the University of Washington, Seattle propose a method to build cloaking devices that can effectively shield implantable pacemakers and similar devices from interference by hackers, a problem whose potential reality has been shown to exist in the laboratory.

Article abstract:

A fundamental tension exists between safety in the common case and security under adversarial conditions for wireless implantable medical devices. We propose a class of new, fail-open defensive techniques for implantable medical devices that attempt to strike a balance between these two goals. We refer to these defensive techniques as Communication Cloakers. Cloakers are externally worn devices, much like computational Medical Alert bracelets. Cloakers protect the security of an IMD when worn, but allow for open access during emergencies if removed.

Article: Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder: New Directions for Implantable Medical Device Security (PDF)

(hat tip: Engadget)

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