Intrusion resistant implantable medical device

Abstract

Provided embodiments include a device, apparatus, system, computer program product, and method. A medical apparatus is provided. At least a portion of which is configured for implantation in an animal. The medical apparatus includes a communication module configured to receive communications originating external to the animal. The medical apparatus also includes a threat assessment module configured to ascertain a threat characteristic of a communication received by the communication module. The medical apparatus further includes a threat mitigation module configured to implement a mitigation measure responsive to the ascertained threat characteristic of the received communication.

1 .- 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable signal-bearing medium bearing program instructions, the program instructions executable by a processor of an implantable medical apparatus to cause the processor to:
 receive communications originating external to an animal in which the implantable medical apparatus is at least partially implanted;   ascertain a malware threat characteristic of a received communication; and   implement a mitigation measure responsive to the ascertained malware threat characteristic of the received communication.   
     
     
         40 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor of the implantable medical apparatus to further cause the processor to:
 communicate with another medical apparatus configured for association with the animal.   
     
     
         41 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor of the implantable medical apparatus to further cause the processor to:
 receive a communication useful in updating at least one of a threat assessment module or a threat mitigation module.   
     
     
         42 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor of the implantable medical apparatus to further cause the processor to:
 ascertain a susceptibly of the medical device to the malware threat characteristic of the received communication.   
     
     
         43 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor of the implantable medical apparatus to further cause the processor to:
 initiate a notification to another apparatus of the ascertained threat characteristic.   
     
     
         44 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor of the implantable medical apparatus to further cause the processor to:
 implement a mitigation measure responsive to the ascertained malware threat characteristic of the received communication by implementing a malware mitigation measure responsive to the ascertained malware threat characteristic of the received communication and selected in response to a selection algorithm.   
     
     
         45 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor of the implantable medical apparatus to further cause the processor to:
 implement a mitigation measure responsive to the ascertained malware threat characteristic of the received communication by implementing a malware mitigation measure selected based on to a lookup table.   
     
     
         46 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein the malware mitigation measure includes at least one of an encryption, an encryption change, a disinformation measure, a change of communication frequency, a change of a schedule of communication, formatting a communication, a communication polarization, a handshake, tunneling, signature, authentication, or verification. 
     
     
         47 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor of the implantable medical apparatus to further cause the processor to:
 respond to a command received from a trusted or a verified third party without regard to the implemented malware mitigation measure responsive to the ascertained threat characteristic of the received communication.   
     
     
         48 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein the malware threat characteristic includes a threat characteristic of a blocking communication, a denial of service attack, a spyware, unauthorized or unregistered executable, a malicious software, a virus, worm, a Trojan horse, an attack vector, a target environment, a carrier object, a transport mechanism, a trigger mechanism, or a defense mechanism. 
     
     
         49 . An implantable medical apparatus that is at least partially implantable within an animal, the implantable medical apparatus comprising:
 a patient module configured to engage a physiological aspect of the animal; and   a processor, the processor configured to:
 receive communications originating external to the animal; 
 ascertain a malware threat characteristic of a received communication; and 
 implement a mitigation measure responsive to the ascertained malware threat characteristic of the received communication. 
   
     
     
         50 . The implantable medical apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 communicate with another medical apparatus configured for association with the animal.   
     
     
         51 . The implantable medical apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive a communication useful in updating at least one of a threat assessment module or a threat mitigation module.   
     
     
         52 . The implantable medical apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 ascertain a susceptibly of the medical device to the malware threat characteristic of the received communication.   
     
     
         53 . The implantable medical apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 initiate a notification to another apparatus of the ascertained threat characteristic.   
     
     
         54 . The implantable medical apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 implement a mitigation measure responsive to the ascertained malware threat characteristic of the received communication by implementing a malware mitigation measure responsive to the ascertained malware threat characteristic of the received communication and selected in response to a selection algorithm.   
     
     
         55 . The implantable medical apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 implement a mitigation measure responsive to the ascertained malware threat characteristic of the received communication by implementing a malware mitigation measure selected based on to a lookup table.   
     
     
         56 . The implantable medical apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the malware mitigation measure includes at least one of an encryption, an encryption change, a disinformation measure, a change of communication frequency, a change of a schedule of communication, formatting a communication, a communication polarization, a handshake, tunneling, signature, authentication, or verification. 
     
     
         57 . The implantable medical apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 respond to a command received from a trusted or a verified third party without regard to the implemented malware mitigation measure responsive to the ascertained threat characteristic of the received communication.   
     
     
         58 . The implantable medical apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the malware threat characteristic includes a threat characteristic of a blocking communication, a denial of service attack, a spyware, unauthorized or unregistered executable, a malicious software, a virus, worm, a Trojan horse, an attack vector, a target environment, a carrier object, a transport mechanism, a trigger mechanism, or a defense mechanism.