We have featured multiple posts about malware and the damage it can cause. A genius group of biohackers has demonstrated that strands of DNA can be manipulated to carry an infection to computers, not human or animals.
Source: Wired, August 10, 2017.
In new research they plant to present at the USENIX Security conference on Thursday, a group of researchers from the University of Washington has shown for the first time that it’s possible to encode malicious software in physical strands of DNA, so that when a gene sequencer analyzes it the resulting data becomes a program that corrupts gene-sequencing software and takes control of the underlying computer.
INSIGHTS: While this article points out that this is not yet a practical scenario, researchers say it is a likelihood over time. This research is also a heads-up for the cybersecurity profession. It’s also a reminder for all of us to be vigilant with cybersecurity protocols.