Hackable Cars
Jackie here. Plain and simple, smart devices are vulnerable to hacking. Many people, however, don’t think of cars as smart devices, but they are becoming increasingly automated and connected to other devices and systems. Here’s what you need to know when you get behind the wheel of your connected car.
Are Cars Hackable?
Are cars hackable? Technically yes, but in reality the answer is a lot more complex. Some cars aren’t hackable at all. If you drive an older model car that doesn’t connect to the internet, it likely can’t be hacked. Newer cars may be able to be hacked, but the process is complicated and isn’t something everyone has the knowledge to do.
Researchers have successfully hacked multiple cars, but the process is difficult. In one instance the researchers had to have physical access to components under the dash to be able to change the software to enable remote operation. This means that while possible, your car won’t be hacked by a random stranger in a faraway location. To be successful, the hacker would need physical access to your car and the mechanics inside. Hacking a car isn’t a simple feat. In another “hack”, the researchers damaged the vehicle multiple times, requiring repair, before they were successful.
While some vulnerabilities have been discovered (allowing the researchers to successfully hack cars), many of these have been corrected. That’s not to say there aren’t others, but as problems are found, they are often corrected by the manufacturer.
Technology is changing how we think about security. Hacking was once only a worry for computers, but now it is something to consider with almost every device you buy.