Our cars have become pretty powerful over the last few years. But the horsepower is not going into the engine, but the on-board CPU! As each new model provides more computerized options, we basically have a portable computer in our car. It is computer with a wireless bluetooth interface and the ability to monitor and control functions of our car. So this begs the question: Could our cars actually be hijacked my computer hackers?
Apparently so. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego and the University of Washington have published a paper in which they claim to have found ways to break into newer-model cars’ computer systems through Bluetooth and cellular network systems and through the diagnostic tools used by auto mechanics. While the researchers admit that the attacks are difficult, that should not give us much comfort. The use of technology by criminals and cyber-thieves is always one step ahead of the good guys.
There has been much buzz in the car industry about making cars “smart” – where each car is broadcasting its location and can tap into a variety of value added services from a collective network. (Boy that sounds familiar.)
The lesson is that NO computing device with an interface is immune to some type of attack. In fact, we hope the automobile manufacturers take computer security more seriously than say, the mobile phone industry. I can see it now: The car salesman is about to close the paperwork and asks – “Would you also like anti-virus with that? It is only $29/month and comes installed!”