Doctor's Life Magazine Vol. 5 Issue 1, 2017 | Page 19

New vehicles are packed full of the latest and greatest technology . Among their many capabilities , today ' s vehicles can automatically apply brakes to avoid collisions , maintain a designated following distance behind the car ahead of it and maneuver the vehicle back into its lane if the driver veers out of it . Some cars can even drive and park themselves !

A dditionally , in-car Wi-Fi

and mobile hotspots allow passengers to connect their computers , tablets and smartphones to the internet from the convenience of the vehicle cabin . Bluetooth allows handsfree use of phones , and infotainment systems let people enjoy their favorite tunes , access apps , navigate and more .
These technological advances provide tremendous benefits for drivers and passengers , but much of this technology can also be used to launch cyberattacks on your vehicle .
" Modern cars are essentially rolling computers and , just as your laptop , smartphone or tablet can be hacked , so can these driving machines ," says Craig Smith , author of The Car Hacker ' s Handbook and founder of the Open Garages vehicle research lab .
Millions of today ' s vehicles possess vulnerabilities that leave them open to new age methods of theft that don ' t require a key or Slim Jim or , worse , situations where drivers no longer have control over their vehicles while driving . Mercury Insurance , one of the nation ' s leading auto insurance providers , recently connected with Smith to help keep drivers safe and shed some light on this growing problem .
According to Smith , there are several key vulnerable areas consumers should be aware of , including :
• On-board diagnostics-II ( OBD- II ) ports ;
• Key fobs ;
• Infotainment systems ( including audio files that owners may have synced for in-car entertainment );
• In-car Wi-Fi ;
• Mobile hotspots ;
• Navigation systems ;
• Smartphones ( connected to cars via Bluetooth ); and
• Tire pressure monitoring systems .
" There are many factors that go into determining a vehicle ' s risk of being hacked ," says Smith , who has worked in the security industry for more than 20 years and with the auto industry for five . " Newer vehicles have what we call a higher ' attack surface ,' meaning there are more areas that are hackable ."
" If you are specifically concerned about remote hackers , as opposed to those who have physical access to your car , then look at the wireless systems your vehicle supports . If your vehicle has telematics , satellite or digital radio , internet , Bluetooth , or wireless key fobs , these wireless services can provide entry points for an attacker over varied distances . This is also true for aftermarket components added to your vehicles , such as dongles plugged into your vehicle to monitor your driving for insurance reasons ."
Local hackers can gain access to a car to unlock it and steal its contents or even start the ignition to steal the vehicle .
To protect against vehicle hacking , Smith recommends disabling wireless services that aren ' t being used . Consumers should refer to the information their auto manufacturer provides on vehicle features , decide which ones are important and only enable those options . Those who wish to use a dongle in their vehicle should try to use it sparingly and take it with them when they leave their car .
" The key to protecting your vehicle if it ' s deemed at-risk for hacking is to disable the components that have the most risk . For instance , if the radio unit is the culprit you can disable it or replace it ," says Smith . " And while newer vehicles tend to have a larger attack surface , they also have more safety features that can help minimize or avoid injury in a collision , so you should consider that as well ."
Issue 1 , 2017 Doctor ’ s Life Tampa Bay 19