Pacemakers and insulin pumps can be attacked by hackers

Unsafe medical devices: Pacemakers vulnerable to hackers

More and more patients with type 1 diabetes are wearing an insulin pump. In addition, more than 100,000 pacemakers are implanted each year in Germany alone. Although the two medical devices can make an important contribution to the health of those affected, the devices are also vulnerable to hackers.

Electrical devices may interfere with pacemaker function

According to health experts, more than 100,000 pacemakers are implanted in Germany each year. Patients are advised to be cautious about certain electronic devices as this may interfere with pacemaker function. For example, it is often advised to keep smartphones away from pacemakers. Danger could also exist through hackers. Because these could attack aids such as pacemakers or insulin pumps.

Pacemakers and insulin pumps could be attacked by hackers. For the affected patients this could be fatal. (Image: psdesign1 / fotolia.com)

Wireless data transmission

Pacemakers send a lot of information to the doctor's screen via radio or cellular network.

And patients with diabetes benefit from wireless data transmission between the blood glucose meter and the insulin pump.

As the IT security expert Wolfgang Hommel from the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich explained in a message from the news agency dpa, this is often very comfortable for patients.

"But most people are unaware of the fact that they can be taken around the corner when things are really stupid," says the expert.

Vulnerabilities have been known for years

The manufacturers of such devices have also referred to these vulnerabilities in the past.

For example, the US pharmaceutical manufacturer Johnson & Johnson told its customers in the US and Canada that one of its insulin pumps could be hacked.

And in the US, nearly half a million people were called to go to the hospital to protect their Abbott pacemaker against hacker attacks.

No specific case is known yet

As it is called in the agency message, so far not a single concrete case is known.

However, there are numerous sample hacks with specific medical devices, in which experts such as pacemakers deliver strong current impulses or let insulin pumps inject high doses.

Former US Vice President Dick Cheney knew this risk and therefore had many years ago disable the remote control function on his pacemaker to prevent possible attacks and manipulation from the outside. (Ad)