Connected and Self-Driving Cars are the New Targets for Hackers
Cars are slowly evolving into moving computers as more and more companies are working on and developing self-driving cars. But, these connected cars are moving disasters because cyberattacks on self-driving cars are increasing and have become a new road hazard.
At CES 2020, GuardKnox, an Israeli cybersecurity firm, demonstrated a potential threat in a formula 1 driving simulation. A GuardKnox engineer playing the role of a hacker hacked the car and took control over the streeling wheel minutes after the virtual drive started. Due to the hacking, the driver remained stuck on the side of the road. According to cybersecurity specialists, scenarios like this can become very real if more people start using connected cars.
Self-driving cars like Tesla’s Model Y and Sony’s Vision S come pre-installed with a lot of technology, such as computer chips and sensors. Hackers can easily attack the tech in the car and take over the controls of the car. Car hacks could “crash one car or run over one pedestrian” to create mass destruction.
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Connected Cars are September 11 on Wheels
Hackers now have a lot of hacking opportunities because the trend of self-driving and electric cars communicating in real-time with the cloud, each other and the smart city infrastructure is growing day by day.
Moshe Shlisel, CEO of GuardKnox said that a hacker could also remotely take control of a tanker truck and send it to crash into a building. He described such attacks as “September 11 on wheels”.
According to Henry Bezeih, a former member of the Council of Automobile Cybersecurity, “cybersecurity has become as integral to vehicle engineering as crash safety and fuel efficiency. Connectivity is the reason why this is happening. Now, all elements have to be designed with cybersecurity in mind.”
Upstream, an Israeli startup, recorded more than 150 hacking occurrences involving automobiles in 2019. That is almost double that the hacks in 2018. Most of the hacks involve remotely locking car doors and modified cloud connections. Last year, more than a dozen luxury cars were stolen after hacking Daimler’s Car2Go app.
Also See: Tesla’s Cybertruck – Is It’s Aerodynamics Any Good?
Just like in the world of computers and smartphones, hackers are always trying to seek ways to penetrate software in a never-ending battle with defenders.
Do you have an electric car or do you own a self-driving car? What do you think about the fact that modern cars are easily hackable just like computers? Do you think self-driving cars should also have anti-virus software installed in them? Then, let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Continue to check out Maticstoday for the latest news items, product reviews, security practices, and video game discussions.
