Security shortcomings in new cars could nurture a new branch of the infosec industry in much the same way that Windows' security failings gave rise to the antivirus industry 20 or so years ago, auto-security pioneers hope.
Former members of Unit 8200, the signals intelligence unit of the Israel Defense Forces, have banded together to create a start-up developing technology and services designed to protect connected cars from next generation hackers.
Argus Cyber Security has developed an intrusion prevention system "appliance" for cars instead of computers. The Israeli start-up is also offering consulting services to car makers, who it claims are waking up to the nascent threat.
Car thieves are already taking advantage of electronic car entry and ignition systems to steal cars. Recent reports suggest that insurers are refusing cover for keyless Range Rovers in London following the rise of targeted attacks on keyless cars.
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 06 2014, @06:09AM
Defend me from systemd.
Lest come the eventual lament
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCJ-CWYoY9s [youtube.com]
(Score: 2) by mendax on Thursday November 06 2014, @06:24AM
You'll live.
It's really quite a simple choice: Life, Death, or Los Angeles.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 06 2014, @08:07AM
What kind of life will that be, however?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 06 2014, @10:16AM
I think this "Gregory Smith" fellow and his Youtube channel are great.
Some of his rants make excellent social commentary.
Wish there were more like it.
(Score: 2) by JNCF on Thursday November 06 2014, @06:06PM
I heard that Michael Hastings switched to systemd last year. It made him so frustrated that he drove his car into a tree... [rt.com]
(Score: 3, Informative) by mendax on Thursday November 06 2014, @06:30AM
This kind of news makes me glad I drive an eight-year-old heap with nearly 250k miles on it with no power locks or windows, a stick shift (and original clutch), and an honest-to-goodness key is required. There is no automatic nothing in my pickup truck except the fuel injection. There is no way to avoid power steering or anti-lock brakes these days, however. No hacker is going to be getting into it using high technology. Makes me feel quite safe. In the mean time, my housemate drives a much newer Jeep with so many bells and whistles, including the keyless door and ignition, that it can almost drive itself. It will be fun to make him paranoid with this story.
It's really quite a simple choice: Life, Death, or Los Angeles.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 06 2014, @06:06PM
Late 60s design with mechanical distributor, carburetor, hydraulic braking, direct steering, manual transmission OFC here. I miss an optional (and safe from backfires) hand crank starter.
Why? because most failures are not as sudden and irreparable as borked electronics.
(Score: 3, Funny) by aristarchus on Thursday November 06 2014, @07:55AM
Darrell Issa? Car theft? Israelis? Why is this not right up there with Bengayzi? Oh, Issa was a car thief? OK, at least not a former Israeli spy, so far as we know. (Hmm, not former! What are the possible connotations?)
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 06 2014, @11:44AM
Just don't connect the cars.
Or save yourself money and buy a beater. Yeah a Tesla would be cool but I do just fine when I buy a $1200.00 used car because I'm handy with tools. My latest theory is that I can get a lot more miles out of a beater if I replace everything that's likely to _ever_ fail all at once immediately after I purchase it, rather than replacing parts only after they've already failed. That would involve changing all the fluids - radiator coolant, oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, brake shoes, the solenoid, fuel filter and most of the hoses. Yes this would cost money but if I bought a $1200.00 car then spent a thousand dollars on those new parts and fluids, potentially I could get as many miles out of it as a far more expensive car.
$1200.00 cars tend not to have keyless entry systems.
From time to time I amuse myself by contemplating how I could take control of an entire car sales lot, so that when a salesperson is just about to close a sale, I pop the trunks or roll down the windows of every single car in the lot.
Don't think I couldn't figure out how to do that!
The problem is that the people who design the wireless control systems may not be so much careless or negligent, it simply never occurs to them that security, encryption or what have you could ever be a concern. So for example there may be a very simple way to figure out the right codes just by looking at the Vehicle Identification Number.
It's quite common for military radio signals to activate garage door openers in neighborhoods located close to bases.