Jeep Grand Cherokee Hacked Remotely
So this is a relatively older story but I still wanted the metrics on my site to link to something regarding it. With all the "infotainment" now being embedded into our new vehicles there has yet again been a sacrifice in security for the aim of convenience. In vehicle wi-fi hotspots have been introduced into newer vehicles as well as wireless charging, doppler radar overlay, the list goes on. Of course with certain manufacturers these really cool features have been implemented without looking into backend security. Yes readers, your new fancy car now has an IP address...on the internet. What hackers can do with that IP address is downright scary, continue reading.
Imagine losing control of everything you see in this image
The story I'm going to link to isn't as terrifying as the title of this article makes it out to be. At least in regards to the driver himself. He was well aware that the attack was going to take place, he just didn't know how or when exactly it would happen. However even after knowing that an attack would take place he does in fact become somewhat fearful of exactly how little control he had in the given situation. Imagine driving on the interstate and all of a sudden all the dials and switches in your vehicle are no longer under your control. Your air conditioning begins blasting you at full power through your vents and seat. Your windshield wipers turn on, your hazards, your radio station and scariest of all, your brakes are no longer under your control.
This was a MAJOR oversight by Jeep when they released their Grand Cherokee a while back. Apparently they didn't feel the need to hire any security engineers to oversee the implementation of their in vehicle technology and suffered a massive blow to public opinion on how they do things. People saw, both in video and written articles just how insecure their vehicles are and how easily they can be compromised. All of the newer vehicles on the road are run by computer systems. Some of those computer systems have a ton of security holes in them. When those holes are breached, you can very literally lose control over your entire vehicle and what it's doing on the road.
Here's that story, and although not super current, still bears repeating: