BMW Patches Security Flaw Affecting Over 2 Million Vehicles

An anonymous reader writes BMW has fixed a security bug which left 2.2 million cars, including models from Rolls Royce and Mini, exposed to hackers. The flaw was discovered in vehicles using BMW's ConnectedDrive software, which runs from an installed on-board Sim card. Via the smartphone app, owners can remotely control a number of functions including door locks, air conditioning and sounding the horn. Researchers from the German motorist association ADAC identified the flaw which allowed the system to connect to fake mobile phone networks, enabling hackers to remotely control the Sim card.

Comments

better solution: don't make cars network-capable

[Anonymous Coward]

Seriously, car systems should have, at most, a dumb screen that I can extend with whatever computer hardware I choose to add, if any. I cannot comprehend why anyone would want a built-in navigation system, for example, when my phone already does it, and does it better. Just write an app that lets me broadcast my screen through my USB port while I charge.

Re:better solution: don't make cars network-capabl

[tompaulco]

Seriously, car systems should have, at most, a dumb screen that I can extend with whatever computer hardware I choose to add, if any. I cannot comprehend why anyone would want a built-in navigation system, for example, when my phone already does it, and does it better. Just write an app that lets me broadcast my screen through my USB port while I charge.

The user interface on phones suck. It is difficult and dangerous to enter a destination, and it requires you to hold your phone or buy or manufacture something to hold the phone up in your line of sight so you don't have to keep glancing down at it. Then what happens if you get a phone call? You have to pick it up (unless the car has bluetooth, which I would imagine if you don't like integrated GPS, you probably don't like integrated bluetooth either.)
Phones are capable of doing a lot of things that they are not very good at and purpose built devices are orders of magnitudes better than phones at just about everything except making phone calls. In fact, the phonebook on my car's bluetooth connection to the phone is better than the interface on my phone.
My built-in GPS shows road construction and accidents, something my phone doesn't do, and it shows it on a 8.8 inch screen, something my phone doesn't do.