Computer Virus Jumps To Humans

Okay, that headline is probably a little more sensationalist than is absolutely necessary, but that’s the message a UK scientist is trying to get across. Dr Mark Gasson from the University of Reading implanted a chip in his hand that contained a computer virus. The chip is similar to the kind used to monitor and tag pets, but Gasson infected the chip with a virus. Due to the sophisticated nature of ID chip scanning technology, the virus was able to jump from the chip in Gasson’s hand to the external security scanners and chip readers he interacted with. There’s little need for widespread concern at this point, but as a proof of concept it’s an interesting notion that as chip implants become more common, there could be a malicious downside. In the US the chips have become more common as medical bracelets to be scanned in case of emergencies, so how long can it be until some dissatisfied trophy wife decides to bump off her husband by messing with his implanted medi-chip? Source: BBC