Security Issues of Personal Medical Devices: Characteristics, Concerns, and Controls

Why are pacemakers, ICDs, insulin pumps, and other implants so difficult to secure? Is the information they gather about patients safe and private? Did you know that the data collected by personal medical devices (PMDs) is used by a wide group of practitioners, device manufacturers, and insurance providers, often without the patient's awareness? This book explores how the special characteristics of personal medical devices can affect your personal security, the security of your organization, and the privacy of your medical information.
Contents

What Makes Personal Medical Devices Special?
What Is a Personal Medical Device?
Legal Aspects of PMD Security
Predisposing Conditions and Vulnerabilities
How Personal Medical Devices Are Deployed
Attacking Personal Medical Devices
History And Timeline of Threats
Summary of Threats to Individuals
Summary of Threats to Organizations
Trends in PMD Security

PMDs present both a security risk, in that they are often ignored and unprotected, and also a privacy risk, in that the data they collect is widely shared with little or no involvement from the patient. This book explains the special characteristics of PMDs that make them difficult to secure, examines the common designs of different types of devices from a security standpoint, looks at the history of attacks on PMDs, and provides a list of key references for further study.