UTMC

0M6 H4X!

Researchers at the University of Washington and University of California-San Diego have examined the multitudinous computer systems that run modern cars, discovering that they're easily broken into with alarming results. Hackers can disable the brakes of moving vehicles, lock the key in the ignition to prevent the engine from being turned off, jam all the door locks, and make the engine run faster. Less dangerously, they can control the radio, heating, and air conditioning, or just endlessly honk the horn.

Car hacks could turn commutes into a scene from Speed, Ars Technica.

The researchers gained control of the test car's systems by plugging in to the diagnostics port under the dash, which might not seem all that impressive, but the research paper also says:

The other vector is via the numerous wireless interfaces implemented in the modern automobile. In our car we identified no fewer than five kinds of digital radio interfaces accepting outside input, some over only a short range and others over indefinite distance.

While outside the scope of this paper, we wish to be clear that vulnerabilities in such services are not purely theoretical. We have developed the ability to remotely compromise key ECUs in our car via externally-facing vulnerabilities, amplify the impact of these remote compromises using the results in this paper, and ultimately monitor and control our car remotely over the Internet.

WE CAN FINALLY KILL DAVID HASSLEHOFF!!!!




--Jaeger

As a technician, I consciously choose to buy the least amount of whiz-bang integrated technology in my vehicles.

No OnStar (as handy as it is), no radar broadcasting lane departure warning systems, no self-guided fully automated hands-off parking systems, no autoadjusting electronically controlled electro-magnetically adjusted ferrofluid filled suspension nor anything that does not come with an ignition key. I don't even like automated climate control.

I know how much this crap costs to fix when it breaks and how hard it can be to diagnose when it acts up. This is stuff you just don't want to own out of warranty, and buying a new car or bike every three or four years is nothing I'd want to do even if I had the money.

computerized garbage is one of the many reasons i don't really want a more modern car, which is making this car shopping business more difficult.

i may just get a