Dive Brief:
- Two U.S. hospitals that have not yet been named have signed up to try a new malware detection system called WattsUpDoc.
- The program uses power and electricity to determine whether or not malware has been introduced into a network.
- According to Business Insider, WattsUpDoc works by "listening to the power outlets" of connected devices and "looking for anomalies in power flow."
Dive Insight:
According the the developers of WattsUpDoc, if malware is introduced into a network, the power flow changes. "Flash memory actually draws power differently when it's starting to become run down," Kevin Fu, one of the professors behind WattsUpDoc, told Business Insider.
WattsUpDoc has been around since 2013, but has not yet been tested in medical facilities. If testing is successful at the two hospitals that are currently signed up, it will be made available to more medical providers.