The Cons of Connectivity: The Risks of Car Hacking

Anyone with a new car is likely in love with all of the modern conveniences that came with it. This is especially true of newer car radios, which are now far more than just a dial and a cassette player. Bluetooth connectivity that allows you to connect your smartphone to your car means you have access to whatever music, podcasts, videos, or whatever else you might have stored on it. Unfortunately, that “everything else” can present quite a risk. You might not realize it, but your smartphone connectivity might leave you vulnerable to having your data stolen through your car connection. How can your car be hacked? Thompson Sales explores in this blog entry.

The Very Real Threat to Digital Security

As we all become more connected and more reliant on the internet, the risk presented by hackers gets bigger. While it might be hard to get past the cheesy representation of computer hacking presented in movies and TV, the reality is much more sinister.

In the last few years, major attacks on financial institutions and even government servers and databases have proven just how vulnerable our data is. Many places store deeply personal, identifiable information and poor security puts it all at risk.

How Vulnerable Is My Car?

If you have a newer car, truck, or SUV, you probably have some degree of connectivity between it and your smartphone. This is usually done via Bluetooth. While it’s incredibly convenient, it can also leave you open to attack. In fact, the risk is high enough that the FBI issued a PSA in 2016 about the dangers of smart device ready vehicles being hacked. It’s not just Bluetooth and wireless connections either. USB connectivity can also present a risk. Viruses or malware loaded onto a USB memory stick can upload itself to your phone or laptop. Aftermarket devices, in particular, can be extremely dangerous for digital security. 

What kind of damage can an attack like this actually do? Beyond the ability to steal personal data, which is bad enough, the increasing reliance on automation also presents a threat. In 2015, a journalist for Wired Magazine was in a 2014 Jeep Cherokee when hackers remotely took control of the vehicle while traveling on the St. Louis highway. While this was part of a test to demonstrate just what hackers can do with remote access, imagine it happening with no warning and no explanation.

What Can I Do To Protect Myself?

There are a few small things you can do to protect yourself from this kind of attack. Keep your passwords updated and create new ones for your various accounts every few months. If a major hack pops up in the news, change them all as a safety measure. Keep your passwords complex and entirely unique.

It sounds like a pain, but password managers are available that will help you manage and generate secure individual passwords. You should also avoid connecting to any networks you don’t recognize, especially if you’re traveling. Finally, never use a USB device you don’t recognize that doesn’t belong to you or someone you know. This advice applies to all your connected devices, not just your car.

Secure Your New Car at Thompson Sales

Always remember to practice common sense when it comes to data security. Keep your passwords updated and protect your connectable devices from potential attacks. In the meantime, if you’re looking for new or used cars, Thompson Sales can help. Come and visit our car dealership in Springfield, MO today.