Five Ways Your Car Can Get Hacked

As automakers present more and more electronically advanced vehicles at this week`s Los Angeles International Auto Demonstrate, they`re also opening fresh avenues that can be exploited by hackers. As with most emerging technologies, innovation comes very first, and security only comes later when pathways into the systems are discovered.

Violating your window isn`t the only way that someone can get into your car. Rapid advances in technology have created fresh ways for intruders to access your vehicle, however most of the car hacks shown in news reports are about as likely as your car getting hit by an asteroid.

At least, those are the odds today. Tomorrow might be a different story as more cars are connected to one another, and become more automated.

It`s fairly a scary screenplay to think that someone can take directive of your car as you`re driving, but that`s truly the worst case script, and the hardest one for a hacker to pull off. Not only does the ne`er-do-well have to have to build up access to your car`s systems, but they have to have a reason for such a high-effort, low-reward crime.

Perhaps in a future of connected and autonomous cars, taking guideline and potentially causing cars to crash will be a implement of terrorists, but today the threat simply isn`t that realistic. Today, most hacks are targeted at stealing your car, its contents, or your data.

On the following glides, we look at the different pathways criminals take to hack into your car`s systems, and why they might want to.

Through the OBD-II Port

A car`s on-board diagnostics, or OBD-II port, is like a front door to your car`s central jumpy system. It connects to the car`s controller area network bus (CAN bus). The more advanced your car is, the more of its systems are likely to be connected to the CAN bus.

By fastening a laptop computer or other mobile device to the ODB-II port, someone can potentially take control of anything fastened to the bus, especially if those systems are not protected against intrusion. That can include steering, braking, engine and fuel management, infotainment, advanced safety, driver assistance systems, and even the door locks. Modern cars have dozens of electronic control units, or ECUs. For finish security, each has to be hardened against an attack on the entire system.

What makes this type of exploit difficult is that the person attacking the system has to have access to your OBD-II port, which is normally located under the dash on the driver`s side of the car, and have specific software to attack the specific make, year, and model of your car. There`s no other reason to take control of a car that they`re already in, unless the purpose is to just steal the car.

Clever Keys

If the aim is theft of the car or its contents, a sophisticated thief can capture your key fob`s signal or spoof the car into thinking it`s eyeing the right one. Technology exists to capture a signal sent to the car, or brute force can be used to break the remote`s code.

That`s tougher than it sounds, and a entire lot more difficult than simply violating a window if a car`s contents are the thief`s goals.

There have been reports of thieves using a device that amplifies the range of some cars` proximity sensors. Many cars use systems that sense when you are nearby, unlock the doors, and enable the embark button. By amplifying that signal, it`s possible to make your car think that you`re nearby when you are in the adjacent house asleep, with your key dozens of feet from the car.

Bluetooth Communications

Bluetooth telephone connectivity is standard or optional on almost every fresh car available today. It`s a good technology that permits you to make and receive phone calls, stream music into your infotainment system, and use your phone to send and receive data to and from the car.

If not decently secured, however, it provides a pathway straight to the CAN bus in many cars. Malicious signals can be injected over the air into the car`s various systems, either to control them, cause them to malfunction, or steal the data that they are transmitting.

Dedicated Data Connections

Having a 4G LTE data connection so that you can turn your car into a mobile hot spot sounds like an excellent plan, especially for people who use their cars as a mobile office. But, if the connection is unsecure, it can also be an avenue into your car`s electronics.

Securing your data can be as plain as choosing a hard-to-guess password that is different than the car`s default passcode, and different than other passwords that you use. You should always use numerous passwords for your accounts, no matter if they`re for your car or not.

Depending on how secure the devices linked to your car`s CAN bus are, a thief could snag the business or individual data that you`re transmitting inbetween your devices and the car. They could even potentially build up access to all of you vehicle`s systems, including those that you need to travel securely.

Other Radio Communications

You might think that your car is pretty secure if you`re not using Bluetooth or other wireless data systems. However, if your car has a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that reports pressures for individual tires, you very likely have four radios communicating with your car`s electronic brain.

The TPMS sensors are often set up to talk to a number of other car systems, including the anti-lock brake system and dashboard displays. If malicious code is sent to those systems, it could potentially disable them, or cause them to report erroneous data. Depending on the sophistication of the attack, the TPMS avenue could be used as a pathway to access other systems or data.

Compromised Media

It`s possible to embed malicious code into media or data files. Imagine if a friend gives you a CD or an MP3 file of your dearest band`s fresh album, and you put the disc in your car`s player or link your iPod to a USB port.

The bad code then flows into your car`s computers and can wreak havoc or steal data. It`s a pretty hard hack to exploit, however, as the bad stud would have to know the vulnerabilities of the specific car that they are targeting.

Through Smartphone Apps

Manufacturers provide some awesome smartphone apps to communicate with your fantasy car. You can lock and unlock the doors, begin the engine, and adjust the cabin temperature from anywhere that you can use a smartphone. But if the app gets hacked, your fantasy can turn into a nightmare.

Not only can someone attack your car, but they can also potentially see all of the data moving through your smartphone.

It will become more significant as time goes on for app developers to work with both the phone operating system programmers and carmakers to ensure that the communications systems are secure from end to end.

Car Theft

So, why would someone want to get into your car`s systems? The most likely reason is theft. By spoofing your key or remotely unlocking the doors and ignition, a thief can hop in and silently drive away without the mess or noise of cracking your windows or punching the ignition.

It`s the high-tech equivalent of hot-wiring your car. Even if they don`t steal your car, the access can give them an chance to link devices to the car`s CAN bus to perform more sophisticated hacks, steal your data, or take instruction of the car while you`re driving.

Identity or Data Theft

You create an electronic footprint every mile you drive and every minute you spend in the car. That data is valuable, and depending on how you`re using your car, it can include private information. That data can lead to identity theft if it becomes compromised.

In the coming years, automakers are going to have to create firewalls or encrypt the vehicle`s data to protect their customers. It`s also in their own best interest to do so, as the vehicle data is also an asset that is valuable to them. They can use it to monitor vehicle systems, exploit marketing opportunities, or even sell to other companies such as insurance firms.

Ransomware

Imagine getting in your car and witnessing a message pop up on your infotainment screen requesting that you wire money halfway around the world if you ever want to be able to embark your car again. All that`s required is for the «ransomware» to be injected into your car`s ECUs.

It`s happening with individual computers today, and it`s not a leap to think it could happen to cars. Like the software that criminals are using to attack computers and networks, a sophisticated hack could potentially see you attempting to circumvent the malicious software and wipe all of the data off your car`s systems.

What`s Next?

Fortunately for us, carmakers and regulators are working to stay ahead of the hackers, albeit they`re a permanently moving target. Manufacturers will have to eschew the open standards that they have encouraged suppliers to embrace, and add electronic firewalls to prevent nefarious intrusion.

Customers will also play a role. By reporting any tech issues or security concerns with your vehicle to your dealer or manufacturer, you can help them detect fresh issues and solve old ones. There are already researchers looking at what cars are more vulnerable than others. There may be a time where data security ratings are as significant in the car buying process as safety or predicted reliability scores.

Car Hacking: five Ways Your Car Can Get Hacked, U

Five Ways Your Car Can Get Hacked

As automakers present more and more electronically advanced vehicles at this week`s Los Angeles International Auto Showcase, they`re also opening fresh avenues that can be exploited by hackers. As with most emerging technologies, innovation comes very first, and security only comes later when pathways into the systems are discovered.

Cracking your window isn`t the only way that someone can get into your car. Rapid advances in technology have created fresh ways for intruders to access your vehicle, tho’ most of the car hacks shown in news reports are about as likely as your car getting hit by an asteroid.

At least, those are the odds today. Tomorrow might be a different story as more cars are connected to one another, and become more automated.

It`s fairly a scary screenplay to think that someone can take directive of your car as you`re driving, but that`s indeed the worst case screenplay, and the hardest one for a hacker to pull off. Not only does the ne`er-do-well have to have to build up access to your car`s systems, but they have to have a reason for such a high-effort, low-reward crime.

Perhaps in a future of connected and autonomous cars, taking directive and potentially causing cars to crash will be a contraption of terrorists, but today the threat simply isn`t that realistic. Today, most hacks are targeted at stealing your car, its contents, or your data.

On the following glides, we look at the different pathways criminals take to hack into your car`s systems, and why they might want to.

Through the OBD-II Port

By linking a laptop computer or other mobile device to the ODB-II port, someone can potentially take control of anything affixed to the bus, especially if those systems are not protected against intrusion. That can include steering, braking, engine and fuel management, infotainment, advanced safety, driver assistance systems, and even the door locks. Modern cars have dozens of electronic control units, or ECUs. For finish security, each has to be hardened against an attack on the entire system.

Clever Keys

If the objective is theft of the car or its contents, a sophisticated thief can capture your key fob`s signal or spoof the car into thinking it`s watching the right one. Technology exists to capture a signal sent to the car, or brute force can be used to break the remote`s code.

That`s tougher than it sounds, and a entire lot more difficult than simply violating a window if a car`s contents are the thief`s goals.

There have been reports of thieves using a device that amplifies the range of some cars` proximity sensors. Many cars use systems that sense when you are nearby, unlock the doors, and enable the commence button. By amplifying that signal, it`s possible to make your car think that you`re nearby when you are in the adjacent house asleep, with your key dozens of feet from the car.

Bluetooth Communications

Bluetooth telephone connectivity is standard or optional on almost every fresh car available today. It`s a fine technology that permits you to make and receive phone calls, stream music into your infotainment system, and use your phone to send and receive data to and from the car.

Dedicated Data Connections

Securing your data can be as elementary as choosing a hard-to-guess password that is different than the car`s default passcode, and different than other passwords that you use. You should always use numerous passwords for your accounts, no matter if they`re for your car or not.

Depending on how secure the devices fastened to your car`s CAN bus are, a thief could snag the business or private data that you`re transmitting inbetween your devices and the car. They could even potentially build up access to all of you vehicle`s systems, including those that you need to travel securely.

Other Radio Communications

You might think that your car is pretty secure if you`re not using Bluetooth or other wireless data systems. However, if your car has a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that reports pressures for individual tires, you most likely have four radios communicating with your car`s electronic brain.

Compromised Media

It`s possible to embed malicious code into media or data files. Imagine if a friend gives you a CD or an MP3 file of your beloved band`s fresh album, and you put the disc in your car`s player or link your iPod to a USB port.

The bad code then flows into your car`s computers and can wreak havoc or steal data. It`s a pretty hard hack to exploit, however, as the bad man would have to know the vulnerabilities of the specific car that they are targeting.

Through Smartphone Apps

Not only can someone attack your car, but they can also potentially see all of the data moving through your smartphone.

Car Theft

Identity or Data Theft

Ransomware

Imagine getting in your car and witnessing a message pop up on your infotainment screen requesting that you wire money halfway around the world if you ever want to be able to begin your car again. All that`s required is for the «ransomware» to be injected into your car`s ECUs.

What`s Next?

Car Hacking: five Ways Your Car Can Get Hacked, U

Five Ways Your Car Can Get Hacked

As automakers present more and more electronically advanced vehicles at this week`s Los Angeles International Auto Display, they`re also opening fresh avenues that can be exploited by hackers. As with most emerging technologies, innovation comes very first, and security only comes later when pathways into the systems are discovered.

Violating your window isn`t the only way that someone can get into your car. Rapid advances in technology have created fresh ways for intruders to access your vehicle, tho’ most of the car hacks shown in news reports are about as likely as your car getting hit by an asteroid.

At least, those are the odds today. Tomorrow might be a different story as more cars are connected to one another, and become more automated.

It`s fairly a scary screenplay to think that someone can take instruction of your car as you`re driving, but that`s indeed the worst case script, and the hardest one for a hacker to pull off. Not only does the ne`er-do-well have to have to build up access to your car`s systems, but they have to have a reason for such a high-effort, low-reward crime.

Perhaps in a future of connected and autonomous cars, taking guideline and potentially causing cars to crash will be a device of terrorists, but today the threat simply isn`t that realistic. Today, most hacks are targeted at stealing your car, its contents, or your data.

On the following glides, we look at the different pathways criminals take to hack into your car`s systems, and why they might want to.

Through the OBD-II Port

By linking a laptop computer or other mobile device to the ODB-II port, someone can potentially take control of anything linked to the bus, especially if those systems are not protected against intrusion. That can include steering, braking, engine and fuel management, infotainment, advanced safety, driver assistance systems, and even the door locks. Modern cars have dozens of electronic control units, or ECUs. For finish security, each has to be hardened against an attack on the entire system.

Brainy Keys

If the purpose is theft of the car or its contents, a sophisticated thief can capture your key fob`s signal or spoof the car into thinking it`s eyeing the right one. Technology exists to capture a signal sent to the car, or brute force can be used to break the remote`s code.

That`s tougher than it sounds, and a entire lot more difficult than simply cracking a window if a car`s contents are the thief`s goals.

There have been reports of thieves using a device that amplifies the range of some cars` proximity sensors. Many cars use systems that sense when you are nearby, unlock the doors, and enable the commence button. By amplifying that signal, it`s possible to make your car think that you`re nearby when you are in the adjacent house asleep, with your key dozens of feet from the car.

Bluetooth Communications

Bluetooth telephone connectivity is standard or optional on almost every fresh car available today. It`s a superb technology that permits you to make and receive phone calls, stream music into your infotainment system, and use your phone to send and receive data to and from the car.

Dedicated Data Connections

Securing your data can be as ordinary as choosing a hard-to-guess password that is different than the car`s default passcode, and different than other passwords that you use. You should always use numerous passwords for your accounts, no matter if they`re for your car or not.

Other Radio Communications

Compromised Media

The bad code then flows into your car`s computers and can wreak havoc or steal data. It`s a pretty hard hack to exploit, however, as the bad fellow would have to know the vulnerabilities of the specific car that they are targeting.

Through Smartphone Apps

Not only can someone attack your car, but they can also potentially see all of the data moving through your smartphone.

Car Theft

It`s the high-tech equivalent of hot-wiring your car. Even if they don`t steal your car, the access can give them an chance to fasten devices to the car`s CAN bus to perform more sophisticated hacks, steal your data, or take guideline of the car while you`re driving.

Identity or Data Theft

Ransomware

Imagine getting in your car and witnessing a message pop up on your infotainment screen requiring that you wire money halfway around the world if you ever want to be able to embark your car again. All that`s required is for the «ransomware» to be injected into your car`s ECUs.

Five Ways Your Car Can Get Hacked

More Slideshows

Through the OBD-II Port

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Clever Keys

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Bluetooth Communications

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Dedicated Data Connections

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Other Radio Communications

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Compromised Media

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Through Smartphone Apps

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Car Theft

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Identity or Data Theft

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Ransomware

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What`s Next?

Five Ways Your Car Can Get Hacked

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Through the OBD-II Port

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Clever Keys

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Bluetooth Communications

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Dedicated Data Connections

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Other Radio Communications

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Compromised Media

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Through Smartphone Apps

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Car Theft

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Identity or Data Theft

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Ransomware

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What`s Next?

Five Ways Your Car Can Get Hacked

More Slideshows

Through the OBD-II Port

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Brainy Keys

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Bluetooth Communications

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Dedicated Data Connections

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Other Radio Communications

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Compromised Media

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Through Smartphone Apps

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Car Theft

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Identity or Data Theft

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Ransomware

More Slideshows

What`s Next?

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