It could be possible hackers simply haven't turned their attention to exploiting these devices yet.
There is always a time before a vulnerable system gets hacked, and there is always a person doing the hacking. Maybe this article on HN, some tweet, or some other comment on the internet will prompt someone to break into a IOT medical device and cause harm to someone. Who knows when it will happen.
That said, I wouldn't understand the rationale behind someone who knowingly hacks a medical system for malicious intent. What honor is there in turning off someone's pacemaker? That just seems like murder but with a technological twist.
All nations are interested in the ability to remotely control the pacemaker or the leaders of all other countries. We should assume that Russia, China, and the US are all able to pull it off at will if it is possible.
Would they every use this? It is an act of war, and they risk the replacement leader being "worse". However it is something they would like to have. Of course once someone starts using this all medical device makers will have to take security seriously, which enters an arms race.
The only protection most people have is we are not important enough to target. However if you are a world leader of some sort you are always at risk that some other country will decide the best way to deal with you is kill you. Vulnerabilities in your medical devices is just one possible choice such nations have.
Then again there are lots of other choices for murder. Poison has been used going back thousands of years has the useful property that you can make it look like an ex did it thus avoiding war.
"That said, I wouldn't understand the rationale behind someone who knowingly hacks a medical system for malicious intent. What honor is there in turning off someone's pacemaker? That just seems like murder but with a technological twist.
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Somebody may do this but with current devices it would be difficult to do this on large scale. Usually you need some level of proximity.
There is always a time before a vulnerable system gets hacked, and there is always a person doing the hacking. Maybe this article on HN, some tweet, or some other comment on the internet will prompt someone to break into a IOT medical device and cause harm to someone. Who knows when it will happen.
That said, I wouldn't understand the rationale behind someone who knowingly hacks a medical system for malicious intent. What honor is there in turning off someone's pacemaker? That just seems like murder but with a technological twist.