It may have occurred to many of us that our computers are susceptible to hacking. But with the evolution in car manufacturing and the move towards integrated tech, hackers are now able to hack your car.
Here are 8 ways, as written by defensivedriving.org you can prevent car hacking.
8 Ways To Prevent Car Hacking
- Don’t program your home address into GPS: It may be convenient, but car thieves and hackers can use your GPS to find your home address. And if they have access to your garage door opener, they can get into more than your car: they can get into your home as well.
- Limit wireless or remote systems: Systems that disable or monitor your vehicle remotely place you at the most risk. While many other systems are hard wired into your vehicle’s computer, wireless or remote systems are often controlled online and are more vulnerable and attractive to hackers.
- Don’t leave your password in your vehicle: Hacking can happen physically inside your vehicle as well. A car thief who finds your OnStar password, for example, can take over your account. That means the feature that allows you to remotely shut off your engine when you report the vehicle stolen will be useless.
- Use reputable shops: Anyone with physical access to your vehicle and hacking know how can cause problems for your vehicle. So when you’re leaving your car at a shop, whether for minutes, hours, or days, you’re taking a chance that someone can easily hack it — and even make it appear that you need repairs that really aren’t necessary. They may also be able to get access to information such as your driving data history. Only use shops and dealerships that you know you can trust not to take advantage of your car’s computer systems. 4 more tips to protect your car from hackers
- Don’t download untrusted apps or use your car’s Web browser: Your car’s infotainment system is unprotected and ripe for the picking. Untrusted apps in your infotainment system can introduce malware. You should never use the Web browser on your vehicle, either. Simply use your mobile phone instead while safely parked.
- Stay on top of vehicle recalls: There has already been one cybersecurity related vehicle recall for the Jeep Grand Cherokee UConnect entertainment system. The vulnerability left access open to the car’s acceleration, radio, brakes, windshield wipers, and more. Affected customers received a USB device to upgrade their vehicle’s software with new security features. All vehicle owners should keep an eye out for similar recalls.
- Buy a vehicle with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay: Using your smartphone to manage your car’s entertainment system can be more responsible than a freestanding infotainment system. If you’re taking mobile security steps, this will make your system more secure.
- Buy an old car and wait for auto manufacturers to catch up: This may not be a real option for many drivers, but luddites can simply buy a vehicle that predates many of the connected features that make vehicles vulnerable today while manufacturers get up to speed and learn how to better protect vehicles and their drivers from hacking vulnerabilities.
This article was originally written by defensivedriving.org.
