"Half A Million Pacemakers At Risk Of Hacking, Security Protocols Immediately Needed"
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recalled more than 500,000 pacemakers. A pacemaker is a medical device used to help monitor and control a person's heartbeat. This massive recall of pacemakers is in response to vulnerabilities discovered within radio frequency enabled pacemakers manufactured by Abbott (formerly known as St. Jude Medical) during a cybersecurity review conducted by the FDA. The exploitation of these vulnerabilities could allow unauthorized users to harm patients through the manipulation of pacing and depletion of battery life. Another study conducted by researchers at WhiteScope has also brought attention to vulnerabilities and the lack of security contained by pacemakers. This article further discusses this recall of pacemakers by the FDA, how these vulnerabilities are being resolved by the manufacturer, what another study reveals about the cybersecurity of pacemakers, and the importance of implementing cybersecurity protocols for medical devices.