Have you ever had a dream that you suddenly lost control of your car ? That the brakes failed, pitching you into a ditch? Or maybe the win...
Have you ever had a dream that you suddenly lost control of your car? That the brakes failed, pitching you into a ditch? Or maybe the windshield wipers suddenly turned on, even though there’s not a drop in the sky?
Feeling out of control is scary, and it’s not just a scene in a nightmare — all of the above happened to a journalist driving a Jeep down a highway in 2015. But it wasn’t a surprise. Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek, two professional hackers, had warned him beforehand that they were going to remotely hack into his vehicle and compromise various electronic control units (ECUs). They did this to expose how truly easy it can be to hack into a car given the right situation — and Chrysler received the message loud and clear. Soon after, the auto manufacturer issued a massive recall to look into the security issue.
So this begs the question — how far have we looked into vehicle cybersecurity? We go through great lengths to protect our computers, phones, and data. And for good reason. There are approximately 24,000 malicious mobile apps blocked every day. Almost a third of organizations have experienced cyber attacks on operational technology infrastructure. And cybercrime is projected to cost us $6 trillion annually by 2021. It’s definitely not something to take lightly.
Thankfully, many car companies are proactively addressing cybersecurity issues. Tesla and General Motors have programs that award white-hat hackers for finding software vulnerabilities before they become a threat. And Ford, General Motors and Tesla all issue frequent over-the-air (OTA) software updates so that consumers’ cars are always equipped with the latest security features. It’s as easy as updating the operating system on your smartphone. No dealership visit necessary.
It’s important to note that you don’t have to have a new, fully-connected vehicle to be vulnerable to security threats. Some common points of entry for hackers include keyless entry remotes and USB ports. So while companies are making great strides in the cybersecurity space, there are some things consumers can do to ensure maximum security. Power is knowledge, and the more you know, the more you can protect your vehicle.
If you’re not sure where to start, check out the animated Infographic below from Esurance. It goes over five ways your car can be hacked and how to prevent them, plus what to do if you suspect a hack.
Feeling out of control is scary, and it’s not just a scene in a nightmare — all of the above happened to a journalist driving a Jeep down a highway in 2015. But it wasn’t a surprise. Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek, two professional hackers, had warned him beforehand that they were going to remotely hack into his vehicle and compromise various electronic control units (ECUs). They did this to expose how truly easy it can be to hack into a car given the right situation — and Chrysler received the message loud and clear. Soon after, the auto manufacturer issued a massive recall to look into the security issue.
So this begs the question — how far have we looked into vehicle cybersecurity? We go through great lengths to protect our computers, phones, and data. And for good reason. There are approximately 24,000 malicious mobile apps blocked every day. Almost a third of organizations have experienced cyber attacks on operational technology infrastructure. And cybercrime is projected to cost us $6 trillion annually by 2021. It’s definitely not something to take lightly.
Thankfully, many car companies are proactively addressing cybersecurity issues. Tesla and General Motors have programs that award white-hat hackers for finding software vulnerabilities before they become a threat. And Ford, General Motors and Tesla all issue frequent over-the-air (OTA) software updates so that consumers’ cars are always equipped with the latest security features. It’s as easy as updating the operating system on your smartphone. No dealership visit necessary.
It’s important to note that you don’t have to have a new, fully-connected vehicle to be vulnerable to security threats. Some common points of entry for hackers include keyless entry remotes and USB ports. So while companies are making great strides in the cybersecurity space, there are some things consumers can do to ensure maximum security. Power is knowledge, and the more you know, the more you can protect your vehicle.
If you’re not sure where to start, check out the animated Infographic below from Esurance. It goes over five ways your car can be hacked and how to prevent them, plus what to do if you suspect a hack.
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