Vulnerability of brain implants to cyber-security attacks could make “brainjacking”, which has been discussed in science fiction for decades, a reality, say researchers from the University of Oxford.
Writing in The Conversation, an Australia-based non-profit media, laurie Pycroft discussed brain implants as a new frontier of security threat.
The most common type of brain implant is the deep brain stimulation (DBS) system.
It consists of implanted electrodes positioned deep inside the brain connected to wires running under the skin, which carry signals from an implanted stimulator.
The stimulator consists of a battery, a small processor, and a wireless communication antenna that allows doctors to programme it. In essence, it functions much like a cardiac pacemaker, with the main distinction being that it directly interfaces with the brain, Pycroft explained.
DBS is widely used to treat Parkinson’s disease, often with dramatic results, but it is also used to treat dystonia (muscle spasms), essential tremor and severe chronic pain.