The Shoddy State of Automotive Wireless Security 260
angry tapir writes "Researchers from Rutgers University and University of South Carolina have found that wireless communications between new cars and their tires can be intercepted or even forged. While the potential for misuse may be minimal, this vulnerability points to a troubling lack of rigor with secure software development for new automobiles, said Wenyuan Xu, a computer science assistant professor at the University of South Carolina, who was a co-lead on the study. The researchers will present their findings at the Usenix Security Symposium, being held this week in Washington DC."
Sudo (Score:1, Funny)
break
break!!!
Oh... sudo break.
This is onstar! (Score:3, Funny)
We currently show you driving 95 miles an hour with four flat tires. Would you like to be routed to a service station?
Re:If you've got a toll tag... (Score:5, Funny)
Hell, your cell phone will give you up.
At least Rick Astley won't give you up, nor will he let you down.
Re:Lets skip to the heart of the matter (Score:5, Funny)
Ask me to design my ideal car and it'll have a lightweight but strong aluminium body, a simple, efficient diesel engine, comfortable seats and a decent stereo. Everything else is chaff, I don't even need ABS.
I'd rather have airbags than a decent stereo.
However, before even thinking about airbags, I'd really enjoy to have lights, windshield, mirrors, ...
Brakes are nice too. unless you're planning to go slow enough to brake with your foot.
Wheels are a nice feature too.
Re:Sudo (Score:4, Funny)
what about ELEVATORS? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Probably the right design choice (Score:1, Funny)
A good programmer will always guard against invalid input.
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/exploits_of_a_mom.png
Suppose a spark plug wire was grounding out against the exhaust manifold and randomly sent out signals that could be interpreted as RFID data?
Re:Lets skip to the heart of the matter (Score:3, Funny)
Ask me to design my ideal car and it'll have a lightweight but strong aluminium body, a simple, efficient diesel engine, comfortable seats and a decent stereo. Everything else is chaff, I don't even need ABS.
I'd rather have airbags than a decent stereo.
However, before even thinking about airbags, I'd really enjoy to have lights, windshield, mirrors, ...
Brakes are nice too. unless you're planning to go slow enough to brake with your foot.
Wheels are a nice feature too.
Nah, they're just a fad.
Re:Lets skip to the heart of the matter (Score:5, Funny)
"a complicated non-electronic system called 'THE DRIVER" would monitor the state of the car and act appropriately "
Is that the system that is unable to differentiate between gas and breaks in a Toyota?
In some cases, this non-electronic system called "THE DRIVER" is unable to distinguish between brakes and breaks.
Re:Lets skip to the heart of the matter (Score:5, Funny)
Brakes are nice too. unless you're planning to go slow enough to brake with your foot.
His ideal car doesn't have a transmission or wheels, so unless he's on a steep enough hill that his lightweight but strong aluminum body can skid down it, he'll just be sitting in his driveway going 'vroom vroom' anyway. If his ideal house has a driveway, that is. As his ideal car also doesn't have a floor pan, he'll have no trouble using his feet to pretend to brake.
Re:Lets skip to the heart of the matter (Score:3, Funny)
I'm still with the GP on one thing...I just HATE ABS. I just never feel in control with those damned things...you slam them on when you absolutely have to, they start 'chattering', and won't stop you in time. If not for some good steering on my part, not to mention luck at the time with a place to go without hitting another car, those things would have cost me money in damages.
I liked my old '86 911 Turbo. That thing would handle when you needed it, and no ABS (hell, no airbag either)....one time I had to slam the brakes on that thing at high speed, it locked up, slowed to where I had to be speed wise to make a manuver, and I could then steer and re-accelerate to get out of the situation. It worked. Of course, I have 4 bald spots...one on each tire which I'd locked it up, but that's the price you pay. I just bought new tires, and was on my way, no wreck, no body shop.
Granted, this car was a special case, but in any car I've had, I just cannot get used to ABS. I feel they take too much control away from me.
Re:Lets skip to the heart of the matter (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Probably the right design choice (Score:3, Funny)
Any vehicle sold in the US after September 1, 2007 is supposed to have a TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) as mandated by the TREAD act.
Why? Because no one knows how to check the air pressure in their tires anymore.
That and the whole Firestone fiasco.