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What pacemaker communicates via blue tooth? Last I checked they all used induction telemetry (which requires the telemetry wand to be within several inches of

What pacemaker communicates via blue tooth? Last I checked they all used induction telemetry (which requires the telemetry wand to be within several inches of the device) or MICS band radio for distance telemetry. I think some Boston Scientific devices used 900MHz at one time, but how many of those are still in the wild? The only instances of "hacking" a pacemaker (or ICD) have been when researchers used a programmer from the manufacturer to "hack" the device. So it seems super unlikely you know a blue tooth zero day for a pacer.

iancarroll 12y ago
> So let's say
seehafer 12y ago
Indeed, all pacers I know of don't have Bluetooth comms precisely because of the potential for vulnerabilities. (I used to work for a pacer company)
pbhjpbhj 12y ago
>The only instances of "hacking" a pacemaker [...] // Someone has linked a PDF of an "ICD study" upthread that shows your contention to be at least partially false.
- ntrepid8 12y ago
  I assume you mean this one: http://www.secure-medicine.org/public/publications/icd-study.pdf http://www.secure-medicine.org/public/publications/icd-study... You would need to be specific about which one of the linked documents you meant, there were several. All the hacking attempts started off with a manufacturer's programmer and worked back from there. In the example using a software radio, the researchers were able to replay sniffed commands to the device after it had been activated by the programmer. Which of the reports talked about a device being compromised without using a manufacturers programmer?
  - pbhjpbhj 12y ago
    Yes. I've not pored over it but they said: >"We implemented several active [replay] attacks using [only] the USRP and a BasicTX daughterboard to transmit on the 175 kHz band." // Yes, they used a programmer for reverse engineering purposes but from my - admittedly brief - look at the paper it seemed they performed active attacks (page 8(A) onwards) without using the programmer. So they previously used a programmer but the attacks were performed without one. Assumed true it seems a reasonable PoC that contradicts the essence of your statement which seemed to say all "hacks" needed a manufacturers programmer to perform.

iancarroll 12y ago

> So let's say

seehafer 12y ago

Indeed, all pacers I know of don't have Bluetooth comms precisely because of the potential for vulnerabilities. (I used to work for a pacer company)

pbhjpbhj 12y ago

>The only instances of "hacking" a pacemaker [...] // Someone has linked a PDF of an "ICD study" upthread that shows your contention to be at least partially false.

ntrepid8 12y ago
I assume you mean this one: http://www.secure-medicine.org/public/publications/icd-study.pdf http://www.secure-medicine.org/public/publications/icd-study... You would need to be specific about which one of the linked documents you meant, there were several. All the hacking attempts started off with a manufacturer's programmer and worked back from there. In the example using a software radio, the researchers were able to replay sniffed commands to the device after it had been activated by the programmer. Which of the reports talked about a device being compromised without using a manufacturers programmer?
- pbhjpbhj 12y ago
  Yes. I've not pored over it but they said: >"We implemented several active [replay] attacks using [only] the USRP and a BasicTX daughterboard to transmit on the 175 kHz band." // Yes, they used a programmer for reverse engineering purposes but from my - admittedly brief - look at the paper it seemed they performed active attacks (page 8(A) onwards) without using the programmer. So they previously used a programmer but the attacks were performed without one. Assumed true it seems a reasonable PoC that contradicts the essence of your statement which seemed to say all "hacks" needed a manufacturers programmer to perform.