Vibrator sends hard-hitting security message

Trend Micro spokesman, Udo Schneider recently demonstrated his ability to hack almost any device by placing a large, neon-pink vibrator on a desk and bringing it to life through his computer

The amount of medical devices that can connect to the internet is on the rise and medical device manufacturers need to take security measures into account.

Last year the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) told hospitals not to use medical devices such as Hospira’s Symbiq infusion system because a security fault in the device meant that it could be hacked.

This device was used to deliver medications directly into the bloodstream of patients which, if hacked could have lead to over or under-infusion of critical patient therapies and severe harm could have come to patients using the device.

Last month when an entire hospital had its medical devices and digital technology held hostage during a cyber attack.

During this attack, hackers demanded a £12,000 ransom, which the hospital paid after the disruption to medical devices resulted in emergency room delays and A&E patients being diverted to other hospitals.

In addition to this, several German hospitals have come under attack in recent weeks from Ransomware, a virus that encrypts data on infected machines and demands that users pay to get an electronic key to unlock it, according to Fortune.

During the development of new medical devices that have a digital or connected capacity, manufacturers need to ensure that they are as stringent with their device security measures as they are with physical safety measures.