Cars are basically tools of transportation meant to take us from point A to point B. Over the years, the development of cars has gotten increasingly complex with more functionality added with every model. Nowadays cars can connect to the internet and have companion apps which we guess does afford some conveniences, but let’s not forget the dangers associated with it.In fact the FBI and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recently issued a bulletin in which they warn carmakers and car owners (presumably of newer models) over how cars these days are increasingly vulnerable to hacks, which in case you might have forgotten, saw hackers in 2015 successfully manage to remotely hack a Jeep Cherokee, as well as remotely engage a Corvette’s brakes.
Save for the jeep hack, most of the hacks we’ve seen are mostly to do with controlling the vehicle’s electronics, like radio, navigation, remotely opening doors, adjusting air-conditioning and so on, but still they are hacks and need to be addressed. According to the bulletin, “While not all hacking incidents may result in a risk to safety – such as an attacker taking control of a vehicle – it is important that consumers take appropriate steps to minimize risk.”
Thankfully all the hacks we’ve seen were done not out of spite or malicious intent, but rather researchers demonstrating security vulnerabilities. To date there has not been a real-world example of a hacker taking control of a vehicle, according to the NHTSA.