News reports of traffic signals and digital traffic warning signs being hacked are not uncommon. But what about vehicles? Can they be hacked as well?
Turns out there are connectivity weaknesses and network architecture flaws that make vehicles vulnerable.
That is according to research into security vulnerabilities in automobiles by network security experts Charlie Miller, security researcher for Twitter, and Chris Valasek, director of vehicle security research for the consulting firm IOActive.
The two studied different automobile makes and models, assessing each vehicle's schematics for signs that point to key vulnerabilities in auto-focused hacking.
They came up with a rating, based on the vehicle’s “hackability.” The ratings were based on three factors: the vehicles' network architecture; their "attack surface" via wireless access, such as Bluetooth and a cellular connection; and what the researchers call "cyberphysical," features such as autonomous braking and steering.
Among the most hackable cars: 2014 Jeep Cherokee, 2015 Cadillac Escalade, 2014 Toyota Prius, 2010 Toyota Prius and 2014 Infiniti Q50.
Miller and Valasek stress that their findings regarding the security vulnerabilities of vehicles are not conclusive and should only be considered warnings of potential weaknesses.
See the complete list of 20 vehicles at DailyMail.co.uk.