The title is the question.
I wonder what inspires people to write computer viruses. I suppose the desire to “pull a prank” on the world, a desire to be known, to be famous in an odd way.
But since viruses cause a disturbance in the internet at least, and perhaps on other systems, has one ever led to the death of someone?
I suppose it is only a matter of time. I wonder what sort of legal charges could be filed if a virus did shut down a vital system.
This site does talk of a case in St. Petersburg, where a virus found its way into a couple of hospital wards and crashed the systems.
I suppose if someone wrote a virus with the intent to disrupt some medical life support of some particular person with the intent to end that person’s life, and the deed actually happened, and the target died, the virus creator could be charged with murder.
However, the article failed to mention whether the author of the virus was charged with anything (homicide/manslaughter).
I would suppose the first such death would be an unintended result of the desire to cause (nonleathal) excitiment. Seems like a weak defense.
Virus, no. Worm, maybe in the future.
If I ever find the dude who started that damn Blaster worm, I am going to strangle him until his heart stops.
My PC is my child. No one hurts my child.
As far as I am aware, most medical life-support equipment used in the world is not driven by networked Windows PC’s. Although Windows PC’s are in use in hospitals North America and Western Europe, the actual infusion pumps, respirators, heart-lung machines, etc. are not. PC’s are used mostly for monitoring purposes, such as networked ECG monitors.
I don’t think that Blaster, SoBig, etc can pose a direct threat to those systems that actually maintain life-support equipment. They are a possible threat to some monitoring systems. Also, many hospitals use client-server systems to store records and to enter and disseminate doctor’s orders, pharmacy requisitions, test results, etc. These may also be vulnerable, depending on configuration. I have also seen drug-dispensing carts that are computer-controlled, although these are not continually networked.
Make of that what you will.
On Law & Order (what, it’s not real??) a virus was introduced into a hospital’s network that caused incorrect insulin level readings in diabetic patients and resulted in several deaths.
However, the virus was introduced by floppy by someone with direct access to the hospital network, not a wide-area virus that was sent out randomly across the Internet.
I’m not an expert on hospital medical systems but what paperbackwriter says is probably true. Unless someone was to write a virus only for medical computers (they, AFAIK, do not use windows or any commerically available OS) they won’t be affected. Just like a UNIX virus will not affect Windows (and vice versa).
I wonder if someone could write a virus and upload it into a vehicle’s ECU. If (for instance) the vehicle’s ECU were to cause the engine to seize during heavy accelleration, the resulting loss of control may cause the vehicle to crash.
Lots of software states in its license agreement that it cannot be used as part of a life support system ect. Obviously the software running specific medical devices won’t have such restrictions.
Choosing a electronic data sheet at random from my messy office floor I find the following.
“Xilinx products are not intended for use in life support appliances, devices, or systems. Use of a Xilinx product in such applications without the written consent of the appropriate Xilinx officer is prohibited.”
This sort of language is very common for electronic parts and probably software as well.