A British scientist has infected himself with a computer virus. Cybernetics expert Mark Gasson wanted to show how implantable devices, like cochlear implants, are susceptible to computer viruses. The University of Reading researcher used an RFID (radio frequency identification) chip implanted in his wrist infected with a benign computer virus. The chip operates like an internal swipe card, allowing him to access parts of the university laboratories by waving his arm. The virus can replicate itself on his colleagues swipe cards if they access the panels where he swiped his arm. Gasson is worried that computers could the infect implant devices they communicate with or vise versa. A denial-of-service attack on a cochlear implant could be a serious problem.
