In response to the discovery of two serious security vulnerabilities in a range of implantable heart defibrillators and home monitoring systems produced by Medtronic, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week issued a special alert.
The flaws could not only enable threat actors to capture sensitive data from affected devices, but may also allow attackers to hack into devices and adjust their settings, which could have life-threatening consequences for patients.
Internet-connected medical devices are increasingly popular in the healthcare industry. However, as is true for Internet-of-things (IoT) devices in general, manufacturers of medical IoT devices often do not sufficiently prioritize security and thereby put the lives of patients at risk.
Read more: Medtronic cardiac implants can be hacked, FDA issues alert
