Cars Identified as the Next Targets of Cybercrime

Did you know that there are six ways someone can hack into your car wireless-ly?

Neither did we, but someone can do so through systems like the tire pressure monitor or the keyless entry; and in some cases, he/she doesn’t even have to be close.

As one counter-hacker told Wards Auto’s John McElroy, “once you’re on the CAN bus, you’re in”. That’s the acronym for the Controller Area Network, which is akin to the central nervous system of any modern vehicle. Apparently, it’s not that difficult to “get in”, and then lots of bad things can happen.

Imagine, for example, a car-theft ring that will sell Vehicle Identification Numbers and GPS coordinates to any interested party. “I’m looking for late-model BMWs within half a mile of 4th and Broadway. Do you have anything for me?” With a few keystrokes, the thief would be supplied with all the info, choose which vehicle he wants and then unlock the doors, start the engine and simply drive away.

Want to eavesdrop into someone’s private conversations? If they are pairing their phone to the car infotainment system makes them a target. Imagine what that would do for industrial espionage – or even paparazzi…

One way to hack into a car’s CAN bus is by corrupting a song file and use social media to make people download and play it into their car. A CD or a USB drive would do the job just the same.

The main threat identified by cyber security specialists are car thieves. Then, there are kids and people who do it for fun and “are generally not malicious”. The worst-case scenario involves terrorists. They may, for example, hack into a car dealership or service center by compromising an employee’s laptop and install malicious software, like a Trojan horse, to a fleet of cars. Then, a preset “trigger”, which may be anything from a day and time to a GPS location, allows them to take control. How do you stop them?

That’s the problem automakers and suppliers are rushing in to solve. The first CAN bus networks were first installed in vehicles in the late ‘80s. Back then, no one would have thought of anything like this. Now it’s the digital age and cars feature all sorts of infotainment and connectivity systems. Which may make your life easier but, if a hacker decides to mess up with your vehicle, a nightmare.

Thankfully, hackers need access to a lot of expensive equipment and reverse engineering of the car’s software. Given enough time and money, though, it will become easier and those expensive options you ticked (or were they standard?) will compromise the security of your car.

Factor in the autonomous-driving cars that all major companies - and Google - are developing and it can all end in tears. Who knows - maybe updating your car’s security (antivirus?) software will become routine.

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