Here is a futuristic follow-on to yesterday’s neural network column about a computer security system that evaluates typing signatures.  In the July 1 issue of Neurosurgical Focus,  two computer scientists published their concerns about potential security hazards of "neural devices," computers that operate on a direct brain-computer interface. Neuroprotesthetics have been used for the past decade or so to help people with damaged hearings, sight or movement, and they have been targeted for possible military and commercial applications, especially gaming.  

 

Because neural devices involve harnessing a human brain to a computer, there is some potential for hackers to actually mess with a person’s mind.  While one of the article’s authors, Tadayoshi Kohno, believes that most of the current devices are safe–here, I suggest, is an issue ripe for risk analysis–but says it would be a mistake not to gird up in advance against hackers and viruses. Gird up how?

 

Neural networks, the machine kind.  One writer envisions security software that comes in both standard and neural network versions.  Kind of like hair of the dog that bit you, or it takes a neural network to know one.