Computer Virus Infecting Human

Dr Mark Gasson is a scientist at Reading University. He claims that after he contaminated an electronic chip which was inserted into his hand, he has been infected with a computer virus.

The chip is a high end Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID) It uses the same technology that is used to identify missing pets & in shop security tags for preventing theft.

Its was implanted into Dr. Mark Gasson’s left hand to give him secure access to his mobile phone & his University building. It has also enabled him to profiled & tracked.

The scientist, who will demonstrate his findings at an international Australian conference next month, said his experiment will have great significances for implantable computing technologies.

Dr Gasson said: “By infecting my own implant with a computer virus we have proved how innovative these implantable technologies are getting and also had a glance at the troubles of future.”

“Our research shows they are fundamentally mini computers & like other mainstream computers these can be infected by virus. These implantable technologies have developed to the point where implants are capable of storing, communicating & manipulating data. The technology will need to keep pace with this so that implants, including medical devices, can be safely used in the future.”

However Security expert Graham Culey has described the scientist as “scaremongering” & University’s experiment as “shonky research”.

“It’s possible to put software code on an RFID chip and can be placed in your body but until and unless it come in contact with an RFID reader it wouldn’t be read & even the software connected with the rader would need to have a vulnerability that would allow the code to be run.

Reading University may be pleased with a pleased with all these media attention they’ve got, but as far as the public is concerned I think they have done a poor job. According to him this research is scaremongering nonsense that doesn’t present the true nature of this non-threat,” said Cluley.