The extent of the threat from those with malevolent design is demonstrated by the video produced by the Argonne team. In the video a hacker inserts a small electronic device into the machine that gives him remote control capability from up to half a mile away.

“The cost of the attack that you’re going to see was $10.50 in retail quantities,” explains Warner in the video. “If you want to use the RF [radio frequency] remote control to stop and start the attacks, that’s another $15. So the total cost would be $26.”