As more and more devices gain connectivity, there are more opportunities for malicious individuals to steal your data, break things, and just generally make your life more difficult. At least you’ll still have your life, though. Now a security firm says that a connected implantable cardiac device made by Minnesota-based healthcare company St. Jude is susceptible to hacking, which can be life-threatening.
 

The device at issue here is an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD). This is essentially a more advanced version of a pacemaker. After implantation, it uses small flexible wires to detect your heart rate and applies an electric current to stop abnormal cardiac rhythms. An investment firm called Muddy Waters started warning about the safety of St. Jude’s ICD products recently, which has led to a legal battle. Muddy Waters is a short-selling operation, meaning it bets on a company’s stock price falling in order to make money. St. Jude says the allegation of security issues is simply meant to harm its stock price and is not based on a real danger.