Hacker remotely crashes Jeep from 10 miles away

[Renew Deal]

Source: The Telegraph

Hackers took control of a car and crashed it into a ditch by remotely breaking into its dashboard computer from 10 miles away.

In the first such breach of its kind, security experts cut out the engine and applied the brakes on the Jeep Cherokee, sending it into a spin – all while sitting on their sofa.

The US hackers said they used just a laptop and mobile phone to access the Jeep’s on-board systems via a wireless Internet connection.

They claim that more than 470,000 cars made by Fiat Chrysler could be at risk of being attacked by similar means – including those driven in the UK.
<snip>

The hack was possible thanks to Uconnect, the software that has been built into the dashboard computers of hundreds of thousands of cars made by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles since late 2013.
<snip>

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11754089/Hacker-remotely-crashes-Jeep-from-10-miles-away.html

[liberal N proud]

1. This story doesn't say anything about a crash

Immediately my accelerator stopped working. As I frantically pressed the pedal and watched the RPMs climb, the Jeep lost half its speed, then slowed to a crawl. This occurred just as I reached a long overpass, with no shoulder to offer an escape. The experiment had ceased to be fun.

At that point, the interstate began to slope upward, so the Jeep lost more momentum and barely crept forward. Cars lined up behind my bumper before passing me, honking. I could see an 18-wheeler approaching in my rearview mirror. I hoped its driver saw me, too, and could tell I was paralyzed on the highway.

“You’re doomed!” Valasek shouted, but I couldn’t make out his heckling over the blast of the radio, now pumping Kanye West. The semi loomed in the mirror, bearing down on my immobilized Jeep.

http://www.wired.com/2015/07/hackers-remotely-kill-jeep-highway/

Posted on DU here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026994682

[targetpractice]

2. Crashed, as in the software sense of the word?

It's Wired after all.

[Xithras]

3. They did physically cause the Jeep to crash.

They shut down the brakes and the driver ended up in a ditch.

But, yes, they crashed the computer too.

[liberal N proud]

4. Telegaph article says: Hackers took control of a car and crashed it into a ditch ...

"Hackers took control of a car and crashed it into a ditch by remotely breaking into its dashboard computer from 10 miles away"

You may have thought of it that way but the article doesn't read that way.

[bananas]

18. The driver said: "the 2-ton SUV slid uncontrollably into a ditch. "

The article quotes the driver:

He wrote: "The most disturbing maneuver came when they cut the Jeep’s brakes, leaving me frantically pumping the pedal as the 2-ton SUV slid uncontrollably into a ditch.

So the title is correct.

[AngryOldDem]

12. NPR had audio of the guys describing what they were doing...

... before it crashed.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

16. NPR crashed too?

[AngryOldDem]

29. I don't know about that but the car did. n/t

[targetpractice]

21. My bad... I responded a post before reading the source carefully.

Sorry.

[MADem]

9. The ditch bit happened in a parking lot! Check the video at the wired link....

Miller attempts to rescue the Jeep after its brakes were remotely disabled, sending it into a ditch. ANDY GREENBERG/WIRED

[Duppers]

5. "The first"

I rather doubt it, but ask the CIA about that.

[Octafish]

13. Michael Hastings had expressed fear of something.

Then he had an accident and died.

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/08/16/hast-a16.html?view=article_mobile

[Duppers]

19. I knew you or some would know

What I was referring to.

Thanks.

[aggiesal]

6. In the early 2000's ...

On-Star had the same problem.
Their on board computer had no firewall built in.
So any body could take control of any On-Star enabled system.

Obviously, Chrysler-Daimler still has not figured this thing out.

May I digress for one last snarky sentence:
This would never happen to a fully autonomous vehicle.

[Aerows]

7. My restored Triumph Spitfire

looks better every day, and not just because of the awesome paint job and new top...

[PasadenaTrudy]

8. Seriously!

If old Bugs had air conditioning, I'd go back to one. Or a Karmann Ghia

[Sunlei]

17. every VW my family had would blow a rod and start the clacking noise of doom.

Always happened on some family road trip, out in the middle of nowhere.

[gregcrawford]

23. The old Veedub engine...

... Held a little over two quarts of oil, and there was no filter. if you were down a quart - and they burned and leaked oil like crazy - half your oil was gone, and you ran the risk of exactly what you describe. Not fun. I got so I could rebuild a VW engine in my sleep. But then I had an epiphany. There are RELIABLE cars in the world! And I could buy one!

[catnhatnh]

24. And always cylinder #3

Forward cylinder on the driver side. Rear cylinders got extra cooling from the airflow at the rear of the car. Passenger side forward got hotter but was OK. #3 got heat from being in the forward position and the cooling air from the fan on the shroud passed through the oil cooler before hitting the cylinder. That's why if you had a cylinder head temp gauge it always went on #3...

[redwitch]

25. But you could fix the transmission with a 5 cent fuse.

I loved my Beetle. Which my sister gave to me when the engine seized because she ran out of oil.

[PasadenaTrudy]

27. We had

Bugs, Squareback, Fastback, and a Thing. Never blew a rod! Lucky.

[gregcrawford]

10. Do you have pictures?

I had one of those back in the sixties. Fun car. Then I got an 67 MGB-GT that I later tricked out to eat Porsches for breakfast! I should never have sold that beauty...

[gregcrawford]

11. "...first such breach of its kind...?"

I don't think so. There are strong suspicions that Michael Hastings' Mercedes may have been hacked before he died by hittting a tree.

[Duppers]

20. Yep. My thought too.

See above.

[billhicks76]

14. Michael Hastings

[Sunlei]

15. I wish we could get cars without all the computer crap in them. Easy to work on yourself.

[dembotoz]

22. U mean the crap mini van tranny I had to replace could have just been a hack thing?

[drm604]

26. This is possible because of the UConnect feature in those cars.

This shows the stupidity of hooking a car's systems up to a wireless internet connection. It should be illegal. Imagine terrorists taking control of and crashing thousands of cars across the country all at once.

[Blue_Tires]

28. Guess there will be a recall and software upgrade...