Neural Device Implants: Emerging Privacy, Security Risks
Neural Device Implants: Emerging Privacy, Security Risks
https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/neural-device-implants-emerging-privacy-security-risks-a-31759
Publish Date: 2026-05-25 07:36:00
Source Domain: www.bankinfosecurity.com
Data Privacy
,
Data Security
,
Healthcare
Penn State Professor Andrea Matwyshyn on Emerging Device Concerns
Andrea Matwyshyn, professor of law and engineering policy, Penn State Dickinson Law
Implanted neural devices could transform treatment for patients with paralysis, stroke and other serious medical conditions. But the same technologies create major privacy, security and safety risks, especially if manufacturers prioritize convenience features, data collection and artificial intelligence-driven analytics over security, said Andrea Matwyshyn, professor of law and engineering policy at Penn State Dickinson Law.
See Also: A Modern Approach to Data Security
Privacy concerns will grow as developers combine neural devices with predictive AI systems and internet of things connectivity, Matwyshyn said. What’s to stop companies from repurposing sensitive neural data for marketing, surveillance or behavioral analysis?
Additionally, implanted technologies also potentially create unique long-term risks because devices may outlast the companies or software ecosystems supporting them, she said.
“Imagine all of the problems of social media tools combined with all the security issues and other kinds of confidentiality problems of the…