Automotive Hacking

Automotive hacking is the exploitation of vulnerabilities in the software, hardware and communication systems of automobiles. Modern vehicles carry hundreds of onboard computers, called electronic control units, that communicate over networks such as the Controller Area Network, the Local Interconnect Network, Media Oriented Systems Transport and FlexRay, alongside consumer connections including Bluetooth, WiFi and cellular hotspots, and the resulting web of connections creates multiple points an attacker can exploit. Security research beginning around 2010 and 2011 demonstrated that an attacker could gain remote control over critical systems including brakes and the engine, first requiring physical access to the vehicle and later proving that remote exploitation was possible through interfaces such as the CD player, Bluetooth and cellular connections.