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Using Tire Pressure Sensors To Spy On Cars

Posted by kdawson on from the privacy-under-pressure dept.

AngryDad writes "Beginning last September, all vehicles sold in the US have been required to have Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) installed. An article up at HexView enumerates privacy issues introduced by TPMS, and some of them look pretty scary. Did you know that traffic sensors on highways can be adopted to read TPMS data and track individual vehicles? How about an explosive device that sets itself off when the right vehicle passes nearby? TPMS has been discussed in the past, but I haven't seen its privacy implications analyzed before. Fortunately the problem is easy to fix: encrypt TPMS data the way keyless entry systems do."

9 of 203 comments (clear)

  1. Headline: Tire PMS kills! Story at 11! by kiick · · Score: 3, Funny

    Sorry, Couldn't resist.

    This isn't an 4/1 joke, is it?

  2. Part of me feels paranoid now... by AioKits · · Score: 5, Funny

    Especially this part:
    How about an explosive device that sets itself off when the right vehicle passes nearby?
    Great, first I have to worry about the tolls on I-44 through Oklahoma, now I got to worry about exploding vehicles?
    Maybe in the future we can all roll to work in giant hamster balls. Getting groceries home will be a bitch tho...

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    1. Re:Part of me feels paranoid now... by evil+agent · · Score: 4, Funny

      Maybe in the future we can all roll to work in giant hamster balls. Getting groceries home will be a bitch tho...

      Yeah, I learned this the hard way. Just make sure the food is enclosed in metal containers so the hamsters can't get to it.

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      End transmission.
    2. Re:Part of me feels paranoid now... by arivanov · · Score: 3, Funny
      This is Germans. They still study chemistry, physics and basic electronics and other freeky terrorist skills in school even today.

      I would not be afraid of such nasty things happening in an decent god-fearful rule obiding English Speaking country. This has long been taken care of through the amendments to the school and university curriculum. And if worst comes to worst control orders can be used from people taking high school chemistry courses: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7107265.stm

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  3. President authorizes warrentless tire tapping... by Digestromath · · Score: 5, Funny
    In the War on Terrorism, the president in his finite capacity for wisdom has authorized any government agency, with at least 3 letters in its acronym, to engage in acts of tire tapping without the need for endless judicial oversite.

    The government won't use this information to track you down to that seedy little motel on the side of route 9, where you cavort with no less than 3 women other than your wife. We only care about catching bad guys. Your wife however...

    If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear but fear itself.

  4. Can we get a car analogy for this? by Digestromath · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm having trouble grasping the concepts, can someone put it into a nice analogy using cars? What... wait... damnit.

  5. Re:RFID tracking by ArcherB · · Score: 4, Funny

    Kinda hard to do without puncturing the tire. Read up on it: here. Michelin at least seems to mount it inside the laminas of the tire.

    Of course you could always surround your tires in tin foil if you are THAT paranoid. I hear that microwaving your tires for 15 seconds each will also disable the RFID tags.

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  6. Re: Finally, an April Fools story!!! by c6gunner · · Score: 5, Funny

    Personally, I've never really been scared by any of the things our government keeps telling me I should be terrorized by, but what really scares me is the bleak future I see for my kids and their kids...caused by our own Orwellian, all-powerful government.
    Yeah, I soooooo hear ya on that one! You know what else scares me? Clowns. The government keeps saying that there's nothing to fear from clowns, but I know The Truth! Those colourful costumes and goofy makeup are the perfect disguises for Secret Service death squads, prowling our neighbourhoods and looking to assassinate or brainwash anyone they see purchasing organic tomatoes. It's downright terrifying!

    I'm glad to see that there's other right-minded folk like me on here! Keep up the good work Mr. Transporter!
  7. Re:OnStar by geekoid · · Score: 5, Funny

    I know 1 person with on star, and they were in a bad accident, having the OnStar saved her life.

    Clearly OnStar causes accidents.

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