A Cyber Attack Results in a Human Death

Consider the world we live in. Computing devices are embedded in cars, phones, TVs - even medical devices, and we're actively trying to connect all these devices to each other. Add the fact that we often treat security as an afterthought when developing innovative technical systems. Then there's the human factor. Criminals, hactivists, and even nation-states are launching increasingly targeted cyber attacks. Computer malware has destroyed physical equipment; proving digital attacks can have real-world impact. Most recently, a researcher even showed how to wirelessly deliver an 830 volt shock to an insecure pacemaker. In short, digitally dealt death is not only possible, it's plausible.

We'd like to think humans are inherently good, and even if these sorts of life-threatening digital attacks are possible, no one would hate someone enough to exploit them. Yet we live in a politically charged world, and history shows us that nations tend to leverage any weapons they can. We hope we're wrong, but perhaps 2013 will deliver the first ever cyber casualty.