Guarding the Beats by Defending Resource Depletion Attacks on Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators

Implantable Medical Devices (IMDs) have revolutionized the treatment of critical diseases. However, the increasing reliance on these life-saving devices’ wireless functionality has made them vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) has emerged as a leading IMD owing to the worldwide surge in cardiac diseases. Given the resource-constrained ICD environment, there’s a pressing need to develop tailored security measures for protection, moving beyond traditional approaches. In this paper, we present resource depletion attack scenarios in an ICD environment where attackers can exploit the ICD’s wireless connectivity function. We propose some comprehensive approaches to mitigate such attacks, offering a significant step forward in safeguarding the well-being of patients. This research contributes to the ongoing efforts to secure the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) ecosystem and underscores the importance of cyber-security in modern healthcare.