Modern smart autos can impress you with many functions: to surf the Internet, download maps of the area, exchange data with a service center, etc. You can start the car without getting up from the chair in your room, set a pleasant temperature in the cabin by your arrival.
There is only one problem: all this is quite an expensive pleasure. In the most expensive models of famous manufacturers, nice features are available by default. But if you purchase a budget model, many of them are blocked (protected by a special digital signature), and their inclusion must be bought separately.
No Charges, Please!
Hackers got used to new features: they find vulnerabilities allowing them to access digital certificates that protect these functions. Then, they began to sell their own apps, with which you can replace the security certificate and gain access to various desired functions. This is the reason why there is a huge variety of “alternative offers” for smart cars on the Internet. So, is it worth paying more for the same services?
In case you buy a being-in-use car, it is also important to make a FAXVIN search to have a clear picture of what happened to it before the purchase. It may also affect the final cost, especially if the filling is not original.
Tips and Tricks
Many experts studied forums and trading platforms where you can buy a variety of devices and programs to improve your smart car and talked about their findings at the RSA 2018 conference in San Francisco. For example:
- special modules that reset mileage or reload airbags after accidents;
- diagnostics and unlocking tools for paid functions;
- pirate navigation packages;
- unlicensed accessories, etc.
All this is ten times cheaper than official manufacturers offer!
So, What’s the Problem?
As it always happens, you’ll have to pay. The problem is that after connecting, hackers can gain access to the entire system of a smart car, the confidential data of the owner, and the management functions.
Owners of advanced cars are always the target for cybercriminals: if a person has paid for such a car, then he or she has money to pay for bringing the access back.
See: Toyota’s PASTA- A car hacking tool to enhance automobile cybersecurity
An attacker who created a “useful” unlocking program, which the smart car owner uploaded to their car in the hope of unlocking some functions, gets almost unlimited possibilities — it all depends on what is uploaded to the firmware:
- to monitor the movements of the infected car;
- to gain access to the smartphone connected to the car radio;
- to unlock doors and turn off the alarm, etc.
Safety Precautions
Unfortunately, to protect your smart car from cybercriminals, you can only rely on yourself. Although the smart Jeep was first hacked back in 2015, manufacturers still pay too little attention to closing vulnerabilities. Until the situation has changed, car owners should remember what security measures they can take on their own to reduce risks. Good luck!
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