According to experts, the next wave of cyber security threats could literally be very close to your heart.

Pacemakers, among other modern medical assistance devices, suffer from potential vulnerabilities due to their own wireless communication abilities. A willing hacker may be able to disrupt vital services or cause them to critically malfunction. The convenience of wireless communication between these devices has made them every bit as exposed as your phone or computer.

The FDA has already warned many facilities of an especially vulnerable IV drip controller, already widely used in the field. Unfortunately for most people, the only real way to reduce the risk is to continually update to the latest models of whatever devices they rely upon, because newer models are generally more secure.

In the end, those experts agree that the onus is on the manufacturers of the devices, and the hospitals who implement them, to beef up the security of their products. When a vulnerable Wi-Fi connection could potentially stop someone’s heart, vigilance is the obvious prescription.