A delayed response to a cyber security related issue fetched no less criticism for Medtronic forcing the famed medical equipment maker to tighten the internal security to ensure a secured and internet access free place to store the devices.
The security vulnerability issue crops up in the CareLink 2090 programmer used by the doctors to communicate the implanted heart defibrillators to record diagnostics where the hackers have no dearth of mechanism to temper.
The Minnesota based premier medical device manufacturer, however, admitted lack of prompt action after it got to know of the hackers compromising the state-of-the-art mechanism to upkeep the software attached to the defibrillator programmer in a patient’s chest. The experts, mostly, took serious cognizance of the inordinate delay from the part of the Medtronic to spot or fix that flaws which could have been stopped within a week.
Periodicals are flooded with the comments of the experts who keep saying that the hackers could easy exploit these vulnerabilities in CareLink 2090 defibrillator to doctor the device with the help of a remote controller.
Some others say the report of vulnerability could have been directly brought to the notice of the Food and Drug Administration for quick response and action before informing to the Minnesota-run company. They say the delay could have been averted had the issue raised before the regulator at the outset.
Cyber security researchers suggest use of sound methodology to jump into a conclusions on vulnerabilities that put the patients at huge risk.
The crux of the vulnerabilities, they believe, is the CareLink 2090 programmers which is commercially available software which is in the know of the hackers to take the advantage thereof.
Even after admitting the lapse and delayed response, Medtronic said that its employees were trying their best to address the vulnerability to repose the safety of the patients and that before settling a sensitive issue the schemes of things should be taken care of efficiently and not in a jiffy.
The security vulnerability issue crops up in the CareLink 2090 programmer used by the doctors to communicate the implanted heart defibrillators to record diagnostics where the hackers have no dearth of mechanism to temper.
The Minnesota based premier medical device manufacturer, however, admitted lack of prompt action after it got to know of the hackers compromising the state-of-the-art mechanism to upkeep the software attached to the defibrillator programmer in a patient’s chest. The experts, mostly, took serious cognizance of the inordinate delay from the part of the Medtronic to spot or fix that flaws which could have been stopped within a week.
Periodicals are flooded with the comments of the experts who keep saying that the hackers could easy exploit these vulnerabilities in CareLink 2090 defibrillator to doctor the device with the help of a remote controller.
Some others say the report of vulnerability could have been directly brought to the notice of the Food and Drug Administration for quick response and action before informing to the Minnesota-run company. They say the delay could have been averted had the issue raised before the regulator at the outset.
Cyber security researchers suggest use of sound methodology to jump into a conclusions on vulnerabilities that put the patients at huge risk.
The crux of the vulnerabilities, they believe, is the CareLink 2090 programmers which is commercially available software which is in the know of the hackers to take the advantage thereof.
Even after admitting the lapse and delayed response, Medtronic said that its employees were trying their best to address the vulnerability to repose the safety of the patients and that before settling a sensitive issue the schemes of things should be taken care of efficiently and not in a jiffy.