Smart Cars At Heightened Risk Of Attack - Expert

According to IT security company NCC Group consultant Liz James, there have been multiple cases where cybersecurity specialists have remotely controlled a car via the Internet by using an unauthorized account, Bloomberg has reported.
The Keyless system is the target of one of the most popular cyberattacks. This technology uses a control unit to interpret the communications that flow between every gadget in the car.
Utilizing all of these features, the attacker attempts to mimic the data transmitted from the remote control to the control unit in an attempt to unlock the car and take anything within or possibly the car itself.
Because the automotive industry has seen a significant increase in cyber-attacks, Liz believes automakers should do more to improve the safety of vehicles whose software can be updated over the air, because current technology makes cars vulnerable to being manipulated without the owner's knowledge.
Today's cars have new technologies installed, like GPS, artificial intelligence, sensors that transmit what they detect while driving, etc., which means that manufacturers have to spend money protecting their products against these kinds of attacks.
Almost all communication between a driver's smartphone and their car happens over the Internet and the cloud for tasks as simple as turning on the air conditioning and remotely starting the engine.

Depending on the situation, the manufacturer may request that the software in the car be updated, or the user may give commands to the vehicle. The risk was demonstrated earlier this year when elite hacker teams convened in Tokyo for the Automotive World conference with the goal of breaking into Tesla vehicles in order to win cash prizes. Meanwhile, in 2022, a German teenager gained international attention when he took control of several Tesla electric car features, such as opening and closing doors, adjusting the music, and turning off security features. Giant carmakers like Toyota Motor, Volkswagen, Honda, and Nissan are all developing their own operating systems. With automakers eager to develop their own software and hardware platforms, the creation of "well-functioning and safe platforms" is proving difficult, according to Macquarie Securities Korea analyst James Hong.

To help reduce the risk of hacking, NCC's James suggested that automakers implement opt-in options and additional layers of authentication involving users' smartphones. That would give drivers complete authority over security-related commands, such as knowing a car's location or whether or not to run a software update.
With the widespread adoption of smart, interconnected vehicles just around the corner, it is critical to identify and address the digital risks that come with this technological revolution. For the time being, consumer awareness, intentional investments in secure infrastructure, and a commitment to data protection remain critical.