Hacking Exercise Reveals Vulnerabilities of High-Tech Cars
‘White-hat’ experts access customer data, even remote control of some models.
Hackers were able to go so far as to take over Ferrari customer accounts, accessing their personal information.
IMAGE: Soumil Kumar
“White-hat” hackers accessed vehicles made by a long list of automakers late last year, revealing security weaknesses at the likes of Ford and luxury brands like Ferrari and BMW.
The exercise showed how criminals with the right skills can have their way with cars sporting the latest technology.
The hackers shared the information with the carmakers, which have worked to address the security gaps.
Hacked systems were at, among others, Acura, BMW, Ferrari, Ford, Genesis, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Mercedes, Nissan, Porsche, Rolls-Royce and Toyota.
The exposed vulnerabilities were of varied degrees. Hackers went so far as to take over Ferrari customer accounts, accessing their personal information. In Genesis and Hyundai models, they took control of cars’ systems, remotely starting and turning off cars’ engines and unlocking doors.
READ MORE: With Cyberattacks, It’s No Longer a Question of ‘If,’ But ‘When’
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