Article - Car Computer Security Hackers

[MidnightX]

Along the lines of the recent posts regarding security/privacy potentially being compromised by posting pictures of cars showing their license plate, this article takes it to another level. Researchers are using hybrid cars to demonstrate how they are able to hack into a car's computer.

 

Although there is no rouge hacking currently going on that I am aware of, my knee jerk reaction is to unsubscribe from MFT, syncmyride, fordowner, fuelly, etc. Am I just being paranoid? They make a valid point in the article, "Anywhere you find technology you'll inevitabley find hackers," so it may not make a difference.

 

Here's a link to the article and portions of the article, although they may not be the most pertinent sections. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/disruptions-targets-hackers-car-house-150033841.html

 

 

Disruptions: As New Targets for Hackers, Your Car and Your House

 

Imagine driving on the freeway at 60 miles per hour and your car suddenly screeches to a halt, causing a pileup that injures dozens of people. Now imagine you had absolutely nothing to do with the accident because your car was taken over by hackers.

 

Charlie Miller, a security researcher at Twitter, and Chris Valasek, director of security intelligence at IOActive, a security research company, recently demonstrated car hacks at the DefCon computer security conferences in Las Vegas. The researchers completely disabled a driver’s ability to control a vehicle. No brakes. Distorted steering. All with a click of a button. While the demos were with hybrid cars, researchers warn that dozens of modern vehicles could be susceptible.

 

“Once any single computer in a car is compromised, safety of the vehicle goes out the window,” Mr. Miller said in an e-mail interview. Modern cars typically have 10 to 40 little computers in them.

 

“Right now, there aren’t a lot of ways for hackers to remotely attack cars: Bluetooth, wireless tire sensors, telematics units,” he added. “But as cars get Internet connections, things will get easier for the attacker.”

 

Carmakers and the government are aware that our vehicles are vulnerable. In fact, Mr. Miller and Mr. Valasek received a grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or Darpa, to research ways carmakers can thwart attacks. The biggest fear is the future: as cars become more computerized — or become fully automated, computers on wheels that drive for you — they’ll become more inviting targets.

 

But the demonstrations by security experts and hackers weren’t a peek at what’s to come. The researchers hacked a Toyota Prius and Ford Escape, two hybrid cars that are already on the road.

 

Some researchers said many of these demonstrations were provocative, but they were more theoretical than any sort of real risk we had to worry about today. When these technologies do arrive, I would not count on the companies that are installing computers in our cars, homes and bodies to be able to stop rogue hackers.

 

“We haven’t figured out how to stop attacks against Web browsers in personal computers despite trying for the last 10 years, so there isn’t any reason to think that we can stop attacks against cars or other devices in the near future,” Mr. Miller said. “We should be concerned and start taking action now before something bad happens."

 

 

 

 

 

[acdii]

Turning off the BT for the phone would be the first start. That would be the easiest access into the cars system through the BT. Next would be the BT receivers for the air pressure sensors. Since there is no Onstar or any other 2 way systems on the Ford, it would be difficult to find another door into the system. Toyota and GM, along with Hyundai and a few others have a cell system built into the car, so they would be the easiest to hack. Interesting to know how they hacked the Ford, my guess would be through one of the BT receivers. In order to do that they need to be within 300 feet of the vehicle.

[Dorothyfones]

My car was hacked at a campground. All the doors were unlocked and the windows were down. I wonder if anyone else has experienced this. Nothing was taken so I'm sure someone was just playing with it.

[corncobs]

My car was hacked at a campground. All the doors were unlocked and the windows were down. I wonder if anyone else has experienced this. Nothing was taken so I'm sure someone was just playing with it.

You probably "hacked" it yourself!

 

Hitting the unlock button and than holding it down will open all window and obviously unlock the car.

 

Has happened to me and others before.

[Dorothyfones]

Yes. I am convinced that is what happened. When I asked the Ford Service Department how it could happen, they didn't have a clue. I am greatfull to find the answer here. Thank you all.