Forget Car Jacking, Car Hacking Could Be The New Problem

Hacking, really it isn’t all that difficult if you have a little bit of knowledge about computer systems, and perhaps know some code. For years there have been simple non-harmful hacks, from telephone hacks with Blue box, to hacking a large databank on a server.

Everything that we own nowadays is easily accessible to get simple information and possibly statistics either from a wireless device, computer or even from a website. When does it become too much though?

A little over one month ago, renowned journalist Michael Hastings died, but was he killed? Hastings was driving a Mercedes at high speeds in Los Angeles, California and smashed the car into a palm tree. Upon impact the vehicle caught fire killing Hastings.

Newscientist.com is telling us that the vehicle was “carhacked”, giving a hacker remote control of the vehicle. The first thing that came to my mind when it was first reported that Hastings had died in a car crash, was one of those conspiracy films where people are killed because they reported on the wrong story. Of course I kept my mouth shut about it because the last thing I need people thinking is that I am a paranoid conspiracy theorist. I am not the only one it seems.

Javier Vázquez Vidal and Alberto Garcia Illera, Spanish engineers will demonstrate next weekend a $25 device that they have designed, letting them bypass and access a vehicle’s electronic control unit.

Are you worried about your car getting carhacked? I’m not.

Image from BackHat.com