Is YOUR car safe? Hackers take control of a Jeep Cherokee and crash it into a ditch by gaining access through the entertainment system
Published: 17:12 BST, twenty one July two thousand fifteen | Updated: 07:05 BST, twenty two July two thousand fifteen
Hackers took control of a car and crashed it into a ditch by remotely violating into its systems from ten miles away whilst sitting on their sofa.
In the very first such breach of its kind, security experts cut out the engine and applied the brakes on the Jeep Cherokee – sending it into a spin.
The US hackers said they used just a laptop and mobile phone to access the Jeep’ s on-board systems via its wireless Internet connection.
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In the very first such breach of its kind, security experts cut out the engine and applied the brakes on the Jeep Cherokee – sending it into a spin.
They claim that more than 470,000 cars made by Fiat Chrysler could be at risk of being attacked by similar means – including those driven in the UK.
The breach was exposed by security researchers Charlie Miller, a former staffer at the NSA, and Chris Valasek.
They worked with Andy Greenberg, a writer with tech website Wired.com, who drove the Jeep Cherokee on public roads in St Louis, Missouri.
In his disturbing account Greenberg described how the air vents began blasting out cold air and the radio came on utter blast.
The windscreen wipers turned on with wiper fluid, blurring the glass and a picture of the two hackers appeared on the car’s digital display to indicate they had gained access.
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Greenberg said that the hackers then slowed the car to a halt just as he was getting on the highway, causing a tailback behind him – tho’ it got worse after that.
Greenberg wrote: ‘The most disturbing maneuver came when they cut the Jeep’s brakes, leaving me frantically pumping the pedal as the 2-ton SUV slipped furiously into a ditch.
‘The researchers say they’re working on perfecting their steering control – for now they can only hijack the wheel when the Jeep is in switch roles.
‘Their hack enables surveillance too: They can track a targeted Jeep’s GPS coordinates, measure its speed, and even drop pins on a map to trace its route.’
The hack was possible thanks to Uconnect, the Internet connected computer feature that has been installed in fleets of Fiat Chrysler cars since late 2013.
It controls the entertainment system, deals with navigation and permits phone calls.
Hackers took control of a car and crashed it into a ditch by remotely violating into its systems from ten miles away whilst sitting on their sofa
The feature also permits owners to embark the car remotely, flash the headlights using an app and unlock doors.
But according to Miller and Valasek, the on-board Internet connection is a ‘super nice vulnerability’ for hackers.
All they have to do is work out the car’s IP address and know how to break into its systems and they can take control.
Independent security pro Graham Cluley said: ‘Note that the researchers believe that, albeit they’ve only tested it out on Jeeps, the attacks could be tweaked to work on any Chrysler car with a vulnerable Uconnect head unit.’
The incident is the latest hacking scene which shows just how vulnerable we are to modern technology.
It comes after the FBI claimed a US hacker took control of a passenger jet he was on in the very first known such incident of its kind.
Chris Roberts is said to have plugged into the plane’s computer systems through the electronics box under his seat – and shortly moved the aircraft sideways.
In the very first such breach of its kind, security experts cut out the engine and applied the brakes on the Jeep Cherokee – sending it into a spin (file picture of a Jeep Cherokee)
Earlier this week it also emerged that hackers were menacing to release the confidential details of millions of cheaters after stealing information from adultery website AshleyMadison.com.
After being contacted by the hackers nine months ago, Fiat Chrysler released an update to its car systems.
But users have to download it onto a memory stick and ass-plug it into their USB port, or take it the vehicle to a local dealership.
In a statement to Wired.com Fiat Chrysler said: ‘Under no circumstances does FCA condone or believe it’s suitable to disclose “how-to information” that would potentially encourage, or help enable hackers to build up unauthorized and unlawful access to vehicle systems.
‘We appreciate the contributions of cybersecurity advocates to augment the industry’s understanding of potential vulnerabilities. However, we caution advocates that in the pursuit of improved public safety they not, in fact, compromise public safety.’