DME changed settings over modem?!?!

[FlyingMoose]

So my doctor changed my prescription, and the DME used the cell modem in my unit to make the changes. I am now worried about this, because it's possible that someone could hack into their system and change my settings in the middle of the night!

I thought the modem functionality was read-only, I didn't realize it could also make changes.

I have enabled Airplane Mode (which is annoying because I have to confirm it all the time).

Does anyone know of a way to permanently remove or disable the cell modem?

[Pugsy]

Does anyone know of a way to permanently remove or disable the cell modem?

Not on the new AirSense machines that I have heard about.
It's built in now where before it was a modem that was stuck on the machine and was easily removed.
So far all I have heard about is using airplane mode and just dealing with the annoying confirmation they have to do each time.

[grayghost4]

You could always put a tinfoil hat on it

[webbie73]

Why even have the modem? Are you a new user and have to prove compliance?

[robysue]

Why even have the modem? Are you a new user and have to prove compliance?

As pugsy pointed out, the modem is built-in to the new AirSense machines. So regardless of whether you're a brand new newbie who has to prove compliance or an old hand just updating your equipment to the newest generation of machines, if your machine is an AirSense machine, you've got a modem.

And where there's a modem and a DME, the DME will use their power to make changes to your settings when the doc tells them to. We can hope that they'll also have the good sense to tell you about it before hand.

What's not clear is what a DME might do if they happen to notice that you've changed your own therapeutic settings when their computers contact your machine for a daily (or weeky or monthly) automatic update. It would NOT surprise me at all if some DMEs decide that they need to always change the settings back to "what the doctor ordered" anytime an automatic update indicates the machine's therapeutic settings don't agree with what the DME's computer database says they should be.

[Punchyandtired]

Is it connecting through a phone line or wirelessly?

[chunkyfrog]

If you are not being monitored for compliance, there is probably no reason
for them to muck with your settings, no one is paying them!
If you keep it on airplane mode for a week and nobody squeaks, they don't care.
Of course, an RF shield would be nice. Maybe a Mylar cozy?

[Pugsy]

Is it connecting through a phone line or wirelessly?

It's wireless with the ResMed AirSense/AirCurve machines.

[Punchyandtired]

Geez. I guess for a lot of people this would be handy.

[chunkyfrog]

Geez. I guess for a lot of people this would be handy.

And not necessarily people who like you.

[idamtnboy]

So my doctor changed my prescription, and the DME used the cell modem in my unit to make the changes. I am now worried about this, because it's possible that someone could hack into their system and change my settings in the middle of the night!

Let me put it rather crassly. Unless you have known enemies do you really think you are important enough for anyone to want to go through the hassle of figuring out the info needed to hack into your machine to muck it up? If you were POTUS, yeah someone would try it, but for mere mortals like you and me, our safety hinges an awful lot on our being just another nondescript bean in the gunny sack!

[archangle]

How does the confirmation work in airplane mode? Do you have to punch an extra button to use the machine, or does it just leave the warning on the machine?

As for the hacking, there are plenty of twits out there who would hack into their systems and start tinkering with people's CPAP settings just for "fun." CPAP is probably not a particularly attractive target for such people. Hacking is usually about money these days, but pointless hacking is still out there.

There's also an online software update option. In theory, someone could replace the software in your CPAP machine and make it not work if they hacked into the server that handles the wireless data. There should be a secret cryptographic verification signature to prevent random code from being downloaded, but many companies don't do that right, or don't keep it secure enough.

You can also get hit by "collateral damage" of someone hacking into something else, but it seems unlikely that such an attack would change your settings. It might well cause the servers on the other end to stop working.

It's not really that hard to make such a system secure, but the security track record of modern corporations on security is abysmal.

It wouldn't surprise me if they have an optional setting to reset the settings back to the "correct" settings automatically. PRS1 SD cards can be set to "lock down" your machine settings such that it will reset the settings if you change them. They might have enough hubris to make this the default or the only option in the future. Or even to make airplane mode only work for 48 hours at a time, then reset itself.

[sc0ttt]

As for the hacking, there are plenty of twits out there who would hack into their systems and start tinkering with people's CPAP settings just for "fun." CPAP is probably not a particularly attractive target for such people. Hacking is usually about money these days, but pointless hacking is still out there.

OK so being proactive then, we should challenge someone to hack a disable on the modem... or on the remote setpoint changing function.

[FlyingMoose]

I was just thinking... Could the DME disable the machine if you don't pay your bill?

Are there any pictures of the inside of the machine? Maybe there's a SIM card that could be removed or something similar...

[palerider]

I was just thinking... Could the DME disable the machine if you don't pay your bill?

planning on theft? might not be a good idea to have your criminal intent recorded here.