U.S. researchers unveiled on Wednesday that even humans can be vulnerable to hacker attacks. How is that possible? Through implanted heart defibrillators, which have been found to have some weaknesses, but apparently nothing to be worried about for now, cardiologists tried to reassure patients with such implants.

With the help of computer specialists, researchers said they were able to control an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) which includes pacemaker technology and communicates wirelessly with an external programmer. They’ve managed to do everything from sending possibly fatal shocks to completely shutting it down.

The study was meant to improve patient safety and privacy, researchers said. By combining reverse-engineering and eavesdropping techniques, they managed to intercept ad extract private information, which means such wireless transmissions disclose private data.

Researchers concluded two things on the implantable cardioverter: “(1) it is potentially susceptible to malicious attacks that violate the privacy of patient information and medical telemetry, and (2) may experience malicious alteration to the integrity of information or state, including patient data and therapy settings for when and how shocks are administered.”

These days, technology is part of our lives more than ever, and it spreads into more and more devices, including for human implants, which offer better monitoring possibilities, but at the same time, confer a certain degree of vulnerability to hacker attacks.

“There will be more implanted devices and more wireless capabilities and transmission over greater distances,” said Dr. William Maisel, study co-author and Harvard-affiliated Director of the Medical Device Safety Institute at Beth Israel deaconess Medical Center in Boston, the Associated Press reports.

What we have to think about now is how risky this really is for patients whose lives depend on these implants. On one hand, the technology is far better and more useful than calling your doctor in an emergency situation. On the other hand, it exposes us to hacker attacks, just like any other device these days. Scientists say there is nothing to worry about for now, but it’s that ‘for now’ that worries me…