Worried about your car being hacked? The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are, too, and they’ve published some handy tips to keep you and your ride safe.
A changing world
Not so long ago, hacking cars was an unfeasible endeavor–or at least, very, very cumbersome. Remember back in 2013 when a couple of guys hacked a Toyota Prius, but had to be in the car, with wires running to the dashboard, to wreak havoc on it? It wasn’t what most of us would consider a threat.
By last summer, however, things had changed dramatically. Hackers had found ways to hijack dongles plugged into onboard diagnostics ports, auto-related smartphone apps, and most importantly, telematics networks like Uconnect andOnStar.
Over time, these vulnerabilities will multiply. As our cars become increasingly autonomous, they’re likely to begin talking to one another, and in doing so, they’ll create networks. Networks are the playground of hackers because with the right code, ne’er-do-wells can affect dozens, hundreds, or thousands of vehicles at once, maximizing their returns.
Hackers’ targets can vary, depending on their goals, but most work via the computers that reside in our cars and control various functions. The FBI explains:
“Motor vehicles contain an increasing number of computers in the form of electronic control units (ECUs). These ECUs control numerous vehicle functions from steering, braking, and acceleration, to the lights and windshield wipers. A wide range of vehicle components also have wireless capability: from keyless entry, ignition control, and tire pressure monitoring, to diagnostic, navigation, and entertainment systems. While manufacturers attempt to limit the interaction between vehicle systems, wireless communications, and diagnostic ports, these new connections to the vehicle architecture provide portals through which adversaries may be able to remotely attack the vehicle controls and systems. Third-party devices connected to the vehicle, for example through the diagnostics port, could also introduce vulnerabilities by providing connectivity where it did not exist previously.”
By Richard Read, The Car Connection, Business Insider, Mar. 22, 2016
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