HACKING THE HEART: Pacemakers recalled due to cybersecurity threat

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Nearly half a million people with pacemakers need a computer update to guard their hearts from hackers.

This isn't about personal information or data. This is about life and death. The hackers could drain a pacemaker's battery or mess with the actual pacing.

[LINK: FDA alert on medical devices]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says 465,000 people with certain pacemakers need a software upgrade to protect their hearts against "cybersecurity vulnerabilities."

The following radio-frequency-enabled St. Jude Medical implantable pacemakers:

ACCENT SR RF
ACCENT MRI
ASSURITY
ASSURITY MRI
ACCENT DR RF
ANTHEM RF
ALLURE RF
ALLURE QUADRA RF
QUADRA ALLURE MP RF

The FDA is concerned about hackers having "unauthorized access" to the pacemakers and changing or even destroying them.

Cybersecurity expert Ali Alwan said it may sound like science fiction, but remember pacemakers are just one more device tied to cyberspace now.

"Now this is another device on the network that wasn't really built for security, right? It was built to do really good things with health care, but when they first came out security was an afterthought," Alwan said.

Abbott makes the pacemakers. It said there have been no reports of any hacking and that the Department of Homeland Security said it would take a "highly complex set of circumstances" for criminals to hack pacemakers. But the company isn't taking chances and is taking the "additional security measures."

[LINK: Abbot issues new new updates on pacemakers]

Technically, it's a recall, but patients don't need to have their pacemakers taken out and put back in. They need to go to the doctor and have the software updated. The FDA said that takes about three minutes.

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