Wired:
Since hackers first began demonstrating that they could take over cars’ digital systems to slam on brakes or hijack steering, most automakers have done everything they can to avoid publicly discussing whether their vehicles are vulnerable. Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey, however, has demanded answers on that car-hacking question. Now he’s released his findings: the answers are messy at best, and dangerous at worst.
In a report published Monday, Markey’s office revealed all the answers he received from a letter he sent to 20 automakers more than 14 months ago, quizzing them on their cars’ and trucks’ security and privacy measures. The results, according to the report, show that nearly all modern vehicles have some sort of wireless connection that could potentially be used by hackers to remotely access their critical systems. The company’s protections on those connections are “inconsistent and haphazard” across the industry. And in addition to security weaknesses, Markey’s survey also found that many auto companies are collecting detailed location data from their cars and often transmitting it insecurely.
Markey’s report first came to light in a 60 Minutes episode Sunday night that showed an unnamed car’s brakes being remotely disabled by a DARPA hacker. But Markey’s office has now followed up by releasing its complete findings, which are embedded below. (Read full article)
posted by: gqjournal
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