University of Massachusetts professor hacks heart device to expose risks

A UMass professor has found a way to remotely control an implantable heart defibrillator, proving that hell-bent hackers could some day terrorize the millions of people who rely on the devices to regulate their hearts.

With a homemade $1,000 radio transmitter, researchers were able to reprogram a pacemakerlike device and deliver high-energy shocks that could do all sorts of mischief, from causing a fatal heart attack to extracting personal information such as names and Social Security numbers.