ISSC361 FinalProject
Automobile Computers and their Vulnerabilities
Automobile Computers and their Vulnerabilities
Manufacturers are incorporating more and more computers into automobiles. This causes a new type of threat to today’s society. Challenges come to protecting these systems and the people that are driving the vehicles.
Challenges with Computers Computers are a part of everyone’s daily lives and are even a part of everyday use items. Automobiles today are primarily made up of computer systems. Each mechanical device that is in a vehicle today is controlled by a computer system, whether it is entirely controlled or just monitored by a computer system, but it relies on a computer to correctly function. This now causes an issue with the security of today’s vehicles. With each device in a vehicle using a computer there are many ways for a hacker to gain access to the vital components of the vehicle. It is estimated that a modern luxury car comprises of more than seventy Electronic Control Units (ECUs) in each vehicle today. Of these seventy different ECUs they are all connected via a network within the vehicle. This network is known as the CAN or Controller Area Network. “This interconnection permits complex safety and convenience features such as pre-tensioning of seat-belts when a crash is predicted and automatically varying radio volume as a function of speed.” (Checkoway, et al, 2011) How does this create a security vulnerability is probably a question that comes to mind. These complex networks of interconnected computers are easily accessed through the diagnostics port of a vehicle. With the right software and allowed time to a vehicle any one can hack a vehicle. By installing a malicious code into the vehicle’s computer through the diagnostics port hackers can take control of the vehicle’s brake system, engine control, and the locking system of the automobile. Another access method to the computer systems of the vehicle is through the
Automobile Computers and their Vulnerabilities
Manufacturers are incorporating more and more computers into automobiles. This causes a new type of threat to today’s society. Challenges come to protecting these systems and the people that are driving the vehicles.
Challenges with Computers Computers are a part of everyone’s daily lives and are even a part of everyday use items. Automobiles today are primarily made up of computer systems. Each mechanical device that is in a vehicle today is controlled by a computer system, whether it is entirely controlled or just monitored by a computer system, but it relies on a computer to correctly function. This now causes an issue with the security of today’s vehicles. With each device in a vehicle using a computer there are many ways for a hacker to gain access to the vital components of the vehicle. It is estimated that a modern luxury car comprises of more than seventy Electronic Control Units (ECUs) in each vehicle today. Of these seventy different ECUs they are all connected via a network within the vehicle. This network is known as the CAN or Controller Area Network. “This interconnection permits complex safety and convenience features such as pre-tensioning of seat-belts when a crash is predicted and automatically varying radio volume as a function of speed.” (Checkoway, et al, 2011) How does this create a security vulnerability is probably a question that comes to mind. These complex networks of interconnected computers are easily accessed through the diagnostics port of a vehicle. With the right software and allowed time to a vehicle any one can hack a vehicle. By installing a malicious code into the vehicle’s computer through the diagnostics port hackers can take control of the vehicle’s brake system, engine control, and the locking system of the automobile. Another access method to the computer systems of the vehicle is through the