If you’ve bought a car in the last year or so, chances are there’s an app for that (literally). New cars use cell phone applications for everything from locking and unlocking the vehicle, starting the engine, setting the climate control, requesting roadside assistance and more. Truthfully, it’s pretty cool. But, as with all things in this digital age we’re living in, we must ask ourselves, how secure is this convenience? It turns out, not very.
Why? Well, not surprisingly when we’re discussing technology, the answer is rather technical. But, simply put, the app on your phone uses other websites behind the scenes, where you don’t see them. You simply see the user interface for whatever brand of car you own, be it “Kia Connect” or “FordPass.” Essentially, there’s a middleman handling many functions of the service. And this makes you vulnerable.
Kia Connect App FeaturesKia Motors America
Any hacker worth their salt understands how these apps and websites work and can exploit that to gain access to your vehicle. Once a hacker finds that so-called middleman, they can track your vehicle, remotely unlock the doors, start the engine or even take a peep through any onboard camera. Creepy, right?
So, what can you do? Well, luckily for the general consumer, there are people out there seeking out and identifying these issues. Once they do, they report them to the manufacturers, who are reportedly quick to respond. But how many drivers using these apps don’t realize the security threat, and how many threats have yet to be identified?
Even more importantly, what can we do? Unfortunately, not much, other than opting out or disabling these features from our own vehicles. If you’re concerned, talk to your dealership. Convenience is great, but how hard is it to start the car from within or set the climate features after we’re on the road?
