I searched the discussions to see if I could find a thread about the ability of hackers to change settings on insulin pumps, but couldn't find anything. I read about hacker Barnaby Jack, who is now dead, showed that he could hack a pump and deliver a fatal dose of insulin from 300 feet away. Is it true that insulin pumps, especially the newest ones are not secure?
I had planned to write a science fiction story on this idea, beyond that though, I wouldn't waste much energy worrying about it!
There was a thread here about this, but I could not find it. It is not in my top ten of worries, but I love Zoe's book idea!
Here is a story that may have prompted your question--ABC news,2012:
Not a worry for me.
great idea!
I have never heard of this but I think the chances of someone hacking your pump are really, really slim and maybe non existent :)
that said, I think they should be made more secure, just in case there is some other non intentional interference maybe...
It came from this. I'm not worried about it, but I do love the sci fi story idea. I think I first saw cell phones on Star Trek, back when I was peeing on a stick to gauge what range my bg was in.
interesting... I wonder what info they will find out from the dishwasher???? lol
I'm more worried about the cost of a bottle of insulin, than someone hacking my pump and over dosing me, :)
yeah, me too... :) I don't have a pump, so I'm not really worried about it at all..
They can hack anything they want. I wouldn't be concerned. The grand-scale hacking demos are meant to stir up hysteria and garner attention.
Interesting stuff. There was an article of an "ethical hacker" (an actual term) who hacked his own pump. In the same article, it described the event of another hacker (it was at a convention) hacking into the avionics of a passenger plane that was taxi'ing at a nearby airport. The attempt was successful and he was able to essentially feed information into the avionics that would influence decisions and behavior of the aircraft. All bad stuff with the trend towards fly by wire aircraft.
Back to the pumps, with most of the pumps communicating via blue tooth the effective communication range is so small that unless you were the specific target why would someone waste there time. Much easier ways to "off" someone. Moral to this one is, don't make someone so upset that they want to do away with you (or maybe that is one potential idea for the story).
All your dirty little secrets? (Sorry)
Most pumps don't use blutooth for that very reason (I only know of one pump that does). But just imagine how much a 300u bolus would hurt and how long it would take, Probably long enough to figure out that something as wrong with your pump.