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Scientist Infects Self With Computer Virus
superapecommando writes "A British scientist claims to have become the first human to be infected by a computer virus, in an experiment he says has important implications for the future of implantable technology. Dr Mark Gasson from the University of Reading infected a computer chip with the virus, then implanted it in his hand and transmitted the virus to a PC to prove that malware can move between human and computer."
Do you mean Kevin Warwick? Funnily enough he's also from the University of Reading.
Mother, do you think they'll like this sig?
It's the University of Reading. So, yes.
This dude works directly under Captain Cyborg himself.
I have a programable biomedical device, a Medtronics PrimeAdvanced Neurostimulator and it can be accessed remotely and "hacked" too.
But here is the reality of accessing it or a programable pacemaker, you have to be within inches of the device to get a sync signal. For me, my neurostim is in my left chest, to get it to sync I have to get the PDA or PDA's lead within a half inch of my skin, a thick sweater will block it and make the sync turn into a trial and error shuffle trying to get it in the right spot. The sync is slow, maybe 5-15 seconds for something simple and 15-30 for a upload of new rules to it.
This story is just another PR load, the Register has been dogging on another guy at the same school for over a decade about the BS he spews out. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/05/26/captain_cyborg_cyberfud/
You didn't read the article you posted - "In publishing the findings, the researchers are not suggesting that heart patients face significant imminent risk from hackers. They say in a statement published on the research group's Web site, secure-medicine.org, that their findings should not deter patients from accepting these devices if deemed appropriate by a physician."
"While all implanted devices must use wireless telemetry for programming -- typically in very close range (several inches to several feet) -- the risk of any deliberate, malicious, or unauthorized manipulation of a device is extremely low," Medtronic said. "In fact, to our knowledge there has not been a single reported incident of such an event in more than 30 years of device telemetry use, which includes millions of implants worldwide."
Here the Medtronic guy is full of it, you can't get a sync at several feet