Alarming Innovation
Our profile of TR35 Innovator of the Year Kevin Fu ("2009 Young Innovators under 35," September/October 2009) explored the possibility that a hacker could interfere with the implantable cardioverter defibrillators that are designed to stop heart attacks in cardiac patients. One reader wondered if we weren't doing more harm than good in publicizing this aspect of Fu's work.

I am familiar with these devices and would like to provide some basic information to calm any fears among readers who might have one in their chest. Traditional devices use decades-old communication links that require an inductive coil over the chest, requiring physical proximity to issue commands. The notion of a roaming attacker with a hidden inductive host is far-fetched; the limits of the near-field link would require the hacker to hug the victim. Newer devices include an additional short-range RF link for remote monitoring, but if you interview manufacturers you will learn that these devices are "read only" in this mode.