FBI Warns That Car Hacking Is a Real Risk (wired.com)

An anonymous reader writes: The FBI and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are voicing their concerns about the potential risk of cars being hacked. In an advisory note, they urge the public to be aware of cyber-security threats revolving around connected vehicles. From the advisory, "Modern motor vehicles often include new connected vehicle technologies that aim to provide benefits such as added safety features, improved fuel economy, and greater overall convenience. Aftermarket devices are also providing consumers with new features to monitor the status of their vehicles. However, with this increased connectivity, it is important that consumers and manufacturers maintain awareness of potential cyber security threats." They are also advising drivers and manufacturers to ensure the vehicle software is up-to-date, and keeping an eye out for recalls.

Comments

Seriously?

[chubs]

The FBI is warning the public that it should take steps to protect itself from people breaking into computers? Isn't it in a legal battle with Apple because Apply is taking steps to protect consumers from people breaking into computers?

You can't have it both ways...

[Revarg]

The FBI can't complain about security flaws while taking Apple to court to mandate broken security. It is disturbing that they can't see how broken their logic is.

Re:Classic Cars

[WheezyJoe]

I sympathize, but don't get in no accident. I remember my little rocket from '94, fun but no sun-roof, no power windows, no power locks, had to jury-rig a chirp-chirp alarm/kill-switch, no side-airbags, no anti-lock brakes. Fast, but it did NOT crash well.

Not quite the suicide machine as my college car, a '72 Olds with NON-POWER DRUMS on ALL WHEELS (you had to stand on the pedal to stop hard... if it worked at all due to a flaky master cylinder), but still, by today's standards, even my '94 was a death trap.

Now, we're going to see all cars with automatic braking in six years. More electronics, more complexity. But if it works, it will save lives. Shit, I used to think anti-lock brakes were too complex to mass-produce and work well, like I didn't want some jiggy contraption getting between me and my brakes. Sho' nuff, it's 2016 and they work great. They even got 'em on motorcycles.

So, particularly if you got kids, you're way better off in a new car then taking your chances in some old bolt bucket. Maybe car hacks raise the risk of theft, but older cars are child's play to break into. Maybe some monster hack might tinker with your car while you're driving, and that would be bad, but I'll warrant the BEST ODDS of that happening to you are TINY compared to being T-boned by a drunk. So, you're WAY better off in a new car, hackable or no.

Re:Okay, this is getting ridiculous

[Anonymous Brave Guy]

Yeah, it's pretty simple: don't get a car with OnStar (I think there's a competing service out there like this from one of the other makers)

I'm afraid your information is out of date there. Maybe it's different where you are, but if you look through the web site of almost any mid-range or high-end brand here in the UK, connectivity features are all the rage and pretty much everyone now has them.

Audi has Audi Connect.

BMW has various features including Teleservices and Emergency Call.

Volvo has Sensus.

Ford has Ford SYNC.

And the list goes on. Some of these seem, at the moment, to be primarily about things like hooking in your phone, presumably so you can do exciting things like kill someone while distracted by your car awkwardly mispronouncing the e-mail you just received. A few, the Volvo Sensus for example, sound downright creepy to me in terms of auto-updating software in your vehicle without any user interaction.

And if you think every major car manufacturer and every major car insurer isn't eyeing up the possibilities of phoning home with driver performance data whether you like it or not, I know a prince in Nigeria who has a really great offer that might interest you.