Catching Up With Some Small talk
Medical care has always been a serious topic and an area of concern. Many court cases arise from the lack of professional courtesy, or due to operations that were unnecessary. With that being said, we cannot argue that the advancements in the medical field are astounding and ingenious at times, especially when thinking back to a century when penicillin, a heart monitor, or even the Hospira Pump didn’t exist.
The surprise announcement about hacking the hospira pump
It is very surprising to hear that the US Department of Homeland Security issued a warning to the public, revealing that Hospira’s Symbiq medication pumps, or computerized pumps used to deliver drugs, can be hacked remotely. The concerning news was discovered by a white hat (or ethical) hacker while checking the system out. According to the Food and Drug Administration, this is the first instance it has warned health care providers and caregivers to stop using a product due to a cybersecurity risk.
Inevitable Results
But what exactly is the main concern regarding the Hospira hack? The biggest worry is that the security breach gives someone the opportunity to manipulate the system. Because the device can be potentially remotely controlled, an intruder essentially has the power to change the amount of medication a patient receives. Although, newer pumps have additional protection against these potential hacks, the FDA suggests that health care providers disconnect them and update drug libraries manually. However, this method also has its drawbacks, as it is prone to human errors. The process is also much more labor intensive and may not be entirely feasible.
