health and wellness

Researcher: Drug Pump the ‘Least Secure IP Device I’ve Ever Seen’

In-brief: A researcher studying the workings of a wireless-enabled drug infusion pump by the firm Hospira said the device utterly lacked security controls, making it “the least secure IP enabled device” he had ever worked with. His research prompted a warning from the Department of Homeland Security. 

Surgical Robots The Latest To Fall To Whitehats

In-brief: Researchers from the University of Washington demonstrated attacks against “a slew” of exploitable vulnerabilities in a surgical robot they helped develop. They included attacks that could cause “jerky motion of robot’s arms” or render the surgical robot “motionless” and “almost unusable.”

Drug Pumps Vulnerable to trivial Hacks, DHS warns

In-brief: The Department of Homeland Security warned that drug infusion pump management software sold by Hospira contains serious and exploitable vulnerabilities that could be used to remotely take control of the devices. 

IoT Hackers: The FTC Wants You!

In-brief: The Federal Trade Commission announced this week that it is creating a new Office of Technology Research and Investigation to expand the FTC’s research into areas such as privacy, data security, connected cars, smart homes, algorithmic transparency, emerging payment methods, big data, and the Internet of Things.

Intel: New Approach Needed to Secure Connected Health Devices

In-brief: connected medical devices pose a number of risks to patients, including the threat of “targeted killings,” according to a report by Intel Security. The fix: better application design and more public-private sector cooperation.