Hackers Remotely Kill a Jeep - Wirelessly...

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 12:44:04 -0400

So, hackers can remotely kill your vehicle, while you're driving down the highway at 70 MPH... You might not want to buy a newer vehicle - and, as is typical of car manufacturers, they deny, lie about, obfuscate, or ignore what they are being told.

Article: http://www.wired.com/2015/07/hackers-remotely-kill-jeep-highway/?mbid=social_fb

Hackers Remotely Kill a Jeep on the Highway—With Me in It

I was driving 70 mph on the edge of downtown St. Louis when the exploit began to take hold.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Jul 21 at 2015 12:44 PM

SCPO David Lockwood — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 12:44:38 -0400

Scary thought.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 12:47 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 12:47:01 -0400

I remember a good mechanically inclined friend telling me that vehicles without computers were easier to maintain. With everything getting so "smart," so many good movies will become horrific realities. . . man, I'm hungry.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Jul 21 at 2015 12:48 PM

LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 12:48:14 -0400

Any car with an Onstar type device, or any car with a Wi-Fi hotspot can be hacked just like any other connected device. Even key fobs can be hacked by sniffers. This is why it's wise to lock your car with the internal lock button rather than the fob. That way, some idiot with a sniffer won't be able to hack your car.

Clearly these smart infotainment systems, which are completely tied to the car's computer (unless aftermarket installs) need to have strong, smart firewalls, just as you put behind your router on your home network. They need strong encryption, etc.

Will car makers do this? Not until enough people are killed to make it cost worthy for them. Lives are just DOLLARS to mega-manufacturers. They all do the cynical calculus of $$ cost per life lost, and not until that becomes too expensive do they do anything.

Consider why it took GM so long to fix ignition switches, or Takata to fix airbags. It wasn't until litigation got too expensive...

Response by TSgt David L. made Jul 21 at 2015 1:18 PM

TSgt David L. — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 13:18:35 -0400

This on-board hacking is merely an extension of what rental car companies and the car companies (like GM with On-Star) have been able to do for quite a while.

Rental car agencies can monitor your speed and have issued their version of speeding tickets, AKA fees/charges, and some have audio monitoring that has been used to substantiate erratic driving and vehicle abuse.

The "black boxes" in your vehicle have the capability to be downloaded and the last X number of minutes of vehicle operation up to and including seat belt use, speed and erratic driving.

All that said, car hacking is spooky if you think about it. Being able to isolate and disable your vehicle at their leisure give the bad guys a leg up on everything and everyone, making us vulnerable to a new twist on modern crime.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Jul 22 at 2015 5:57 AM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 05:57:15 -0400

Ah, Electronic Warfare at it's finest. If someone can, They Will.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jul 23 at 2015 7:32 AM

PO1 John Miller — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 07:32:22 -0400

What I get from this is don't buy a "smart" car.