Captain Cyborg Has A Virus-Infected Sidekick... But Nothing Can Stop A PR Campaign

from the virus-infected? dept

Thu, May 27th 2010 8:03pm — Mike Masnick

About a decade ago, if you followed the technology space, you might recall a series of articles about a professor at the University of Reading, named Kevin Warwick, who made himself famous by implanting a computer chip in his arm, declaring himself an expert in "cybernetics" and figuring out ways to get way too much press for nothing special. The Register, amusingly, dubbed him "Captain Cyborg" and regularly mocked his various exploits. We haven't heard much about Warwick in a while, but when I saw a bunch of folks chatting about a BBC article concerning the "first human infected with computer virus," I was immediately reminded of Warwick. Reading through the article, it was no surprise to find out that this "experiment" is actually being conducted by a colleague of Warwick's, Mark Gasson -- who according to Warwick's own bio lead the research group that Warwick works in.

The story is -- as with all captain cyborg stories -- a lot less than the headline suggests. Gasson wasn't "infected with a computer virus." He took a chip that had a computer virus and stuck it in his arm, just like Warwick has done n the past. The parallels to an actual virus are minimal, and the usefulness for anything is even less than that. Gasson presents this as useful for considering the implications for implanted technology such as pacemakers, but that's nothing new. People have talked about potential technology issues from the wireless interface to pacemakers for years. Doing some sort of publicity stunt with an implanted computer chip doesn't further that discussion along.

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Filed Under: cyborgs, hype, implants, kevin warwick, mark gasson, pr stunts, viruses

21 Comments

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Jon Renaut (profile), 27 May 2010 @ 7:48pm

Do I detect a hint of jealousy?
Mike, you're just mad that you aren't an awesome cyborg, too.
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Matthew Krum (profile), 27 May 2010 @ 8:39pm

I want
I want to see the first computer infected with a human virus.
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ShellMG, 27 May 2010 @ 8:47pm

Genuine cyborg signing in...
A few years ago I received a spinal cord stimulator for pain management. This article caught my interest because possible skulduggery involving my programing is pretty far-out, but is it really possible?

My stim is charged wirelessly two to three times per week. The charging unit is self-contained and needs no programming, but the actual implant is programmed during an intensive office session with my programmer. He uses a PDA with special software which he piggybacks on my personal programmer and keeps a record of the settings.

The charging is done through the skin and works through a couple layers of clothing (it's held in place on the back of my hip with a velcro belt or sits in my jeans waistband). My stim itself can set off store security equipment (I've never experienced it myself), but the airport is a COMPLETELY different story.

Could my implant programming be remotely altered without me knowing about it? Could it be loaded with a virus that would transmit itself to my programmer's PDA during a future session and infest networks that way? While I'm very skeptical, I don't underestimate some of the nuts who can't resist a hack.

I'll probably see my programmer over the next month. He's a fellow geek and I'd love to hear what he thinks about this.
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John, 27 May 2010 @ 9:20pm

RE: Genuine cyborg signing in...
A hack is usually done because it is interesting or has wide implications. I doubt any real hacker would ever come in contact with your stim or the programming device it uses and most people do not know these exist.

I see very little to gain other than causing fear in .001% of the population that someday their pain treatment will fail.

I thought the general hacker had one of 3 goals:
1. Money
2. Notoriety (Fame/Publicity/Prestige)
3. To show a weakness in a vital piece of technology that should be fixed.

There is no money in this. NOBODY would respect someone who would inflict excruciating pain upon someone for fun. The whitehat guys would only help security.
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Esahc (profile), 27 May 2010 @ 9:21pm

Re: Genuine cyborg signing in...
I doubted you, I googled, I doubt no more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinal_cord_stimulator
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Ryan, 27 May 2010 @ 9:49pm

Re: RE: Genuine cyborg signing in...
They'd do it for the challenge, which is along the lines of #2. And anybody that hacked a spinal cord stimulator probably isn't your general hacker anyway...
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Anome, 27 May 2010 @ 10:02pm

Re: Do I detect a hint of jealousy?
I think the point is that Kevin, and now Kevin's mate, are not "awesome cyborgs", but actually kind of lame cyborgs. If you can seriously call them cyborgs at all.

Personally, I try to ignore them. Otherwise I'd be pointing and giggling far too much.
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The Groove Tiger (profile), 27 May 2010 @ 10:41pm

Re: Re: Do I detect a hint of jealousy?
What is this human thing called sarcasm?
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Anonymous Coward, 27 May 2010 @ 11:04pm

We had our cat implanted with a tracking chip. Does that make her a cybernetic eating sleeping machine?
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Anonymous Coward, 28 May 2010 @ 1:11am

Re:
No. What it means is you now have to worry about two types of worms ;-)
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Anonymous Coward, 28 May 2010 @ 1:53am

mike, you may consider this story the next time you write an overeaching title for a post, or draw some unproven conclusion. the choice of words and the way things are presented can change the way people see them.
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Svante Jorgensen (profile), 28 May 2010 @ 2:58am

Finally an article that points out how ridiculous this story is
Thanks for pointing out how ridiculous this story is.
There is nothing new in putting a piece of electronics in your body.
Not even if this contains code for a computer virus.
He did not, in any way, infect _himself_ with a computer virus. That would be impossible.
It would be like saying that a ship was infected with a human virus because it carried a sick person.

Scare-story with no substance.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 May 2010 @ 3:12am

"He took a chip that had a computer virus and stuck it in his arm,"

No, he took a chip in his arm and infected it with a computer virus, and then passed the virus onto external control systems.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 May 2010 @ 5:15am

prepare to be assimilated, resistance is futile
...
sleep
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jsl4980 (profile), 28 May 2010 @ 7:10am

Everyone's a super hero!
I'm going to tape a Bluetooth headset to my head and claim I have telepathic super powers. I just hope my phone's voice recognition works on the first try in my press conference.
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Chris Brand, 28 May 2010 @ 11:02am

> declaring himself an expert in "cybernetics"
He didn't exactly declare himself to be an expert. He was appointed as Professor of Cybernetics by the University back in 1988 :
"Kevin Warwick, senior lecturer at the University of Warwick, will become professor of cybernetics at Reading in August." http://www.the-scientist.com/article/display/8257/
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Anonymous Coward, 28 May 2010 @ 11:50am

Re: I want
What about a computer infected with a dog virus, or a cat virus, or just a biological virus in general? After all, wouldn't a computer infected with a human virus not be a human virus by definition if it's not infecting a human. Unless it's a computer virus that's capable of infecting humans. Uhm... so can these things spread across the computer network, jump out of peoples network cables and infect people? Can this be a pandemic virus one day?
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Shann, 31 May 2010 @ 9:41am

Human Injected with Computer Virus
Hello There,
Searching for an answer to my own situation. I did not know about this subject before but I can assure you that there are people out there that are suffering from computer viruses in their bodies. I am a living example of that; the virus was implanted in me about '07 and activated Feb of '10. The experience is complex and I hope no one has to go through it. If anyone has heard or knows anything about it subject please let me know.
Sincerely
Shann
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riha15, 10 Jul 2010 @ 2:51am

Kaspersky
Against viruses and malware on your computer I truly suggest Kaspersky. It's one of the best that exists nowadays. Try it here: http://www.trustdownload.com/Antivirus-and-Spyware-Cleaners/Antivirus/Kaspersky-Internet-Security-7. 0.html
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lipcog (profile), 2 Aug 2010 @ 3:52am

Re: Kaspersky
Kaspersky is pretty good, actually I found out from an website that it's actually the first 1 best rated security software. Though if you don't like this one you should try to use another one from this list of best ten antivirus software: http://www.best-antivirus.co/
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asmithalive (profile), 13 Oct 2010 @ 10:01am

Re: I want
Isn't this what happened in War of the Worlds.....and sort of in Independence Day?
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