Car’s Data Transmitter Can Be Hacked to Take Control, Firm Says

[Dashinka 24,589]

I think the lesson learned here is don't plug things into your vehicle's ALDL port.

 

An Israeli cybersecurity firm is raising fresh concerns about hackers taking control of moving cars, remotely shutting down an engine with the help of a smartphone app, a Bluetooth connection and a type of device commonly plugged into ports located under vehicle dashboards.

Argus Cyber Security Ltd. said Thursday it was able to use a so-called dongle, a device often installed by insurance companies to monitor driving patterns or by owners wanting in-vehicle Wi-Fi, to crack into a vehicle’s internal communication system. The firm, well known in automotive circles, triggered a signal meant to disable the fuel pump, something that normally would happen only after a collision.

 

Argus didn’t disclose the model of car it hacked, noting most cars on the road have a diagnostic port designed for a dongle device. The breach is the latest in a series of high-profile hacks, including an incident two years ago staged by two security researchers who controlled a Jeep Cherokee via a wireless internet connection.

Cars are increasingly connected to external communications, prompting computer experts to exploit holes in firewalls installed by auto makers to separate media features from more critical functions, such as engines, transmissions or brakes. With more than 250 million vehicles on U.S. roads, industry executives have said beefing up controls is a priority.

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/cars-data-transmitter-can-be-hacked-to-take-control-firm-says-1492088402

[bcking 3,157]

Are all WiFi enabled cars set up in the same way, or just ones where the WiFi is "added" as sort of an afterthought? 

 

I feel like you should be able to design a WiFi system for a car that does not communicate in any way with core systems like the engine, brakes etc... But I'm not an engineer or tech-savvy in any way so it is just a gut feeling. 

 

So I guess this means all of the Teslas on the road could be turned into machines of death? 

[CaliCat 3,957]

2 hours ago, bcking said:

Are all WiFi enabled cars set up in the same way, or just ones where the WiFi is "added" as sort of an afterthought? 

 

I feel like you should be able to design a WiFi system for a car that does not communicate in any way with core systems like the engine, brakes etc... But I'm not an engineer or tech-savvy in any way so it is just a gut feeling. 

 

So I guess this means all of the Teslas on the road could be turned into machines of death? 

 

The flaw is that software updates can be done wirelessly, so as long as there is a socket in, you're prone to hacking. It would be very easy for the engineers to change that and prevent someone from hacking the vehicle in real time at least.

[Dashinka 24,589]

1 hour ago, bcking said:

Are all WiFi enabled cars set up in the same way, or just ones where the WiFi is "added" as sort of an afterthought? 

 

I feel like you should be able to design a WiFi system for a car that does not communicate in any way with core systems like the engine, brakes etc... But I'm not an engineer or tech-savvy in any way so it is just a gut feeling. 

 

So I guess this means all of the Teslas on the road could be turned into machines of death? 

I work on the hardware side of things, but I can tell you that the critical systems in cars are all connected internally by multiple computer processors.  I believe most of the internal built in interfaces are fairly well protected, and they keep advancing that protection.  Thes main issue with this article is with the outside devices that are plugged into the ALDL port since this port connects directly with the main vehicle computers such as the Engine and Body modules as it is used for diagnostics and repair.  If the add on plugin device is vulnerable, it may give a hacker a doorway into the vehicle control.

[bcking 3,157]

2 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

I work on the hardware side of things, but I can tell you that the critical systems in cars are all connected internally by multiple computer processors.  I believe most of the internal built in interfaces are fairly well protected, and they keep advancing that protection.  Thes main issue with this article is with the outside devices that are plugged into the ALDL port since this port connects directly with the main vehicle computers such as the Engine and Body modules as it is used for diagnostics and repair.  If the add on plugin device is vulnerable, it may give a hacker a doorway into the vehicle control.

What I'm not clear on is whether actual car manufacturers use an outside device plugged into the port to give their cars WiFi? Or do cars that are built "from the ground up" to be wifi connected use a different system?

[Dashinka 24,589]

1 hour ago, bcking said:

What I'm not clear on is whether actual car manufacturers use an outside device plugged into the port to give their cars WiFi? Or do cars that are built "from the ground up" to be wifi connected use a different system?

The car I currently drives has wifi, but it is not a plugin device.  I do not know if they are all like that.

[IAMX 3,055]

tbh I don't see much concern in this yet.. 

 

Right now the real concern is using remote locks and starters with how the signals can easily be caught, programmed onto another device, and people can steal your vehicle's contents or the vehicle itself without ever needing to break in. 

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

1 hour ago, Bill & Katya said:

The car I currently drives has wifi, but it is not a plugin device.  I do not know if they are all like that.

The new wifi devices for cars are plugins.  Insurance companies are offering a discount if you put one of these devices and let them decide if you are driving safely.  Your ignition is not the only potential victim here.

[Dashinka 24,589]

1 hour ago, ccneat said:

The new wifi devices for cars are plugins.  Insurance companies are offering a discount if you put one of these devices and let them decide if you are driving safely.  Your ignition is not the only potential victim here.

You are correct, there are so many electronic systems in cars today controlled by computers such as steering, the fuel delivery system, air delivery, parking brakes, transmission selectors, and the list goes on and on.

[OriZ 3,157]

Time for new security companies to come into play or at least even existing ones develop new security systems now for cars. I'm sure there's a battle to be first. Checkpoint(also Israeli) was one of the first to identify the need for internet security back when the internet was still in its diapers. 

[IAMX 3,055]

52 minutes ago, OriZ said:

Time for new security companies to come into play or at least even existing ones develop new security systems now for cars. I'm sure there's a battle to be first. Checkpoint(also Israeli) was one of the first to identify the need for internet security back when the internet was still in its diapers. 

tfw you get nagged to install McAfee Antivirus on your car in the middle of bumping some love music 

Edited April 18, 2017 by IAMX

[OriZ 3,157]

1 minute ago, IAMX said:

tfw you get nagged to install McAfee Antivirus on your car 

Can't wait!

[IAMX 3,055]

4 minutes ago, OriZ said:

Can't wait!

"so today's weather will look like--"

"THIS ONE SIMPLE TRICK WILL INCREASE YOUR LENGTH AND GIRTH GO TO--"

*shoots the radio*

Edited April 18, 2017 by IAMX

[OriZ 3,157]

1 minute ago, IAMX said:

"so today's weather will look like--"

"THIS ONE SIMPLE TRICK WILL INCREASE YOUR LENGTH AND GIRTH GO TO--"

*shoots the radio*

lol. I think radios should have rewind, fast forward and on demand.

[IAMX 3,055]

Just now, OriZ said:

lol. I think radios should have rewind, fast forward and on demand.

I think they'll have the Adblock plugin way before that.