CT scan hacking and false diagnosis: the outcome of the Israeli researchers's study

A study performed by Israeli researchers of IT Security Center of Ben Gurion University, led to an incredible discovery: the malware inserted into the software of the device used to perform the CT scan of patients, can distort the results of the diagnostic examination. It means that, the result of a lung CT scan can highlight cancerous nodules which do not actually exist.

Frightening, isn't it?

The target of this study, from the beginning, was to demonstrate not only the hospital network is in constant danger, but also all diagnostic devices, even the most apparently sophisticated ones.

The malware, inserted inside the devices used to perform the CT scan or MRI, in fact, are able to add malignant masses, before the results are analyzed by radiologists.

The study focused on lung cancer scans as a first step, but the researchers assured that it would work for brain tumors, heart disease, spinal injuries and bone fractures as well.

Without going into details, it is clear that the research wants to stigmatize the problem of cybersecurity within the hospital computer network. There is, in fact, a basic presumption in the higher level of hospitals, according to which , not clear by which weird reason, the internal network is "in an iron barrel", so that is unassailable.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The truth, however, is that there are many vulnerabilities and that, it is not only the sensitive data of patients at risk, but also their health.

In fact, how much harm would misdiagnosis create?

Patient’s life is at stake here, In addition of bad publicity of hospital, due to a medical error of this scale, resulting in implications in the penal sphere.

At this point, the problem should no longer be underestimated, but instead becoming aware of how hospital information security should be the budget priority of every efficient structure, as in a few years, it will become "the problem".

In fact, the proper functioning of the hospital is at risk, therefore its establishment.

Equipping with an effective internal network protection system is, at the moment, the essential investment to counter hacker attacks.

We at IES Italia, always at the forefront of digital product launches, are developing, together with ntop, IVO, the device for business cybersecurity. The underlying objective is to create secure virtual ecosystems for the people who use them.

Our vision is that technology should always improve life of humans and not make it worse with misdiagnosis that could destroy the individuality.

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