After a series of media reports, it is clear that wireless implanted medical devices can be hacked. Although the risk is now more hypothetical than actual, the vulnerabilities warrant attention. Implanted devices often rely on wireless technology that allows for remote programming that can be hijacked by unauthorized users. Recently, Dick Cheney revealed that, while serving as vice president, he had followed a series of security precautions to minimize the risk of a "digital assassination" by terrorists.
Now, patients with implanted medical devices may face a new threat: a radar transmitter known as the RF Safe-Stop designed to temporarily shut off vehicles' electronics. Police in Britain are already planning on using the device on vehicles suspected of carrying bombs. The technology can shut off the electronics in vehicles up to 164 feet away. It also carries the risk of disabling all electronic devices in the vicinity, including medical devices.
While RF energy decreases exponentially as the distance between a transmitter and a receiver grows, an individual with medical implants who experiences "collateral" radio pulses from one of these devices could face a life-threatening emergency.
If these devices don't offer high enough levels of precision, patients with implantable medical devices could be in danger.
An EMP Cannon
Patients with pacemakers currently face the risk of interference from microwaves and other RF-frequency transmitters. Many restaurants that use microwaves now have signs that warn patients with pacemakers and other medical devices of that risk. With the RF Safe-Stop, a potentially-deadly device could be used by British police in the near future.
While police can use a variety of aggressive driving techniques to stop a vehicle, these techniques can not be safely used on motorcycles. For example, police will often lay out spike strips during a car chase to puncture the tires of an errant vehicle. However, rupturing the tires of a motorbike could result in the death of its driver. Likewise, attempting to "fishtail" a motorbike through direct contact with a police cruiser could result in the death of the motorbike driver.
