Hackers able to use laptop to apply a vehicle’s brakes, swerve the steering and even shut down the engine
By Matt Wood | September 5, 2013
An American-based security firm has demonstrated the vulnerabilities of motor vehicle computer systems by hacking into a car equipped with General Motors’ (GM) Onstar on-board unit.
The hackers were able to apply the vehicle’s brakes, swerve the steering and even shut down the engine, all from a laptop computer.
Cars and trucks already contain more electronic control units than ever. With connectivity trials taking place around the globe at the moment, the demonstration highlights the potential downsides of computer-controlled vehicles and interconnected vehicle systems.
In one scary demonstration, a group of hackers were able to take control of a vehicle via the Bluetooth function on the vehicle’s sound system.
The company behind the demonstration was Phoenix-based security firm Securosis.
“The more technology they add to the vehicle, the more opportunities there are for that to be abused for nefarious purposes,” CEO Rich Mogull says.
“Anything with a computer chip in it is vulnerable, history keeps showing us.”
Vehicles both private and commercial are moving toward becoming even more connected and it seems that the potential for hijacking and even vehicle theft may increase without significant counter measures being put in place.
Other vehicles hacked into were a 2010 Toyota Prius and a 2010 Ford Escape.
They were hacked via the built-in computer port in the vehicles. Onstar is GM’s on-board telematics, security and navigation system.
