

Wireless capability disabled in Vice President Cheney's implanted defibrillator - cantrevealname
http://www.cbsnews.com/2102-18560_162-57608256.html
The part of the article I wanted to point out is this:<p><i>In 2007, when Cheney needed his implanted defibrillator replaced, Dr. Reiner ordered the manufacturer to disable the wireless feature - fearing a terrorist could assassinate the vice president by sending a signal to the device, telling it to shock his heart into cardiac arrest.<p>Jonathan Reiner: And it seemed to me to be a bad idea for the vice president to have a device that maybe somebody on a rope line or in the next hotel room or downstairs might be able to get into-- hack into. And I worried that someone could kill you.<p>It might sound farfetched, but years later this scene from the SHOWTIME drama &quot;Homeland&quot; showed just how it could be done to the fictional vice president.<p>Sanjay Gupta: What did you think when you watched that?<p>Dick Cheney: Well, I was aware of the danger, if you will, that existed but I found it credible. Because I know from the experience we had and the necessity for adjusting my own device that it was an accurate portrayal of what was possible.</i>
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cantrevealname
The part of the article that's interesting is the concerns about security of
embedded devices:

 _In 2007, when Cheney needed his implanted defibrillator replaced, Dr. Reiner
ordered the manufacturer to disable the wireless feature - fearing a terrorist
could assassinate the vice president by sending a signal to the device,
telling it to shock his heart into cardiac arrest._

 _Jonathan Reiner: And it seemed to me to be a bad idea for the vice president
to have a device that maybe somebody on a rope line or in the next hotel room
or downstairs might be able to get into-- hack into. And I worried that
someone could kill you._

 _It might sound farfetched, but years later this scene from the SHOWTIME
drama "Homeland" showed just how it could be done to the fictional vice
president._

 _Sanjay Gupta: What did you think when you watched that?_

 _Dick Cheney: Well, I was aware of the danger, if you will, that existed but
I found it credible. Because I know from the experience we had and the
necessity for adjusting my own device that it was an accurate portrayal of
what was possible._

