Security, Wireless | featured news

As implantable medical devices such as pacemakers and insulin pumps have become more common, one innovative feature has been the addition of the ability to control the devices wirelessly via the internet. This approach has enabled doctors to improve the well-being of their patients through additional data monitoring and control without the need for additional surgery. But it’s also opened the door for security threats.

Researcher Chris Paget pulled off a stunt at the Defcon security conference Saturday that required as much legal maneuvering as technical wizardry: eavesdropping on the cell phone calls of AT&T subscribers in front of thousands of admiring hackers.