Generating strong cryptographic key from body physiological signal in securing medical implants communication

"An increasing number of people around the world are enjoying the health benefits of internal devices such as cardiac pacemakers and insulin pumps. An unfortunate reality is that there are also an increasing number of people who seek to do harm to others. The potential cyber security threat to these implants has become cause for concern. The solutions currently on the market to counter this threat have a number of known flaws which create vulnerabilities.

Researchers at the University of Gloucestershire and Imperial College London have overcome these deficiencies by creating an encrypted communication protocol between the implanted device and the external gateway that controls it. With millions ofpeople relying on medical implants for their health and wellbeing, Innovate UK funding has helped researchers to complete the final stages of bringing a solution to market. A solution which will protect people from the threat of a cyber-security attack that could have life threatening consequences."