Earlier this month, a very disturbing news for the automotive industry surfaced. According to research performed by the Rutgers University and the University of South Carolina, modern day vehicles are becoming more and more vulnerable to computer attacks because of the increased usage of wireless technologies.
One of the most widespread elements which uses this technology is the tire pressure monitoring which is to be found on more and more vehicles. According to the research, the sensors can be used to hack any car and virtually take control of it.
AdaCore, a software solution provider for the Ada platform, has decided to take action and now advises it would be better for the automotive industry to start contemplating using a central computer with Multiple Independent Levels of Security (MILS) architecture, which would help prevent unwanted incidents.
According to AdaCore, the use of such a system would allow different systems of the car to be protected in a different degree, depending on their exposure to threats.
“The entertainment system, although nice to have, is not essential to the safe operation of the car. In contrast, the cruise control system is safety critical; a bug that, for example, prevented the driver from overriding the set speed could cause an accident,” AdaCore says.
“The tire pressure system can allow outside access, and that’s the source of the security problem. This system needs to be protected.”
That said, we can now only sit back and wait for the time when we'll have to install antivirus software on our vehicles. We reckon that time is just around the corner.
One of the most widespread elements which uses this technology is the tire pressure monitoring which is to be found on more and more vehicles. According to the research, the sensors can be used to hack any car and virtually take control of it.
AdaCore, a software solution provider for the Ada platform, has decided to take action and now advises it would be better for the automotive industry to start contemplating using a central computer with Multiple Independent Levels of Security (MILS) architecture, which would help prevent unwanted incidents.
According to AdaCore, the use of such a system would allow different systems of the car to be protected in a different degree, depending on their exposure to threats.
“The entertainment system, although nice to have, is not essential to the safe operation of the car. In contrast, the cruise control system is safety critical; a bug that, for example, prevented the driver from overriding the set speed could cause an accident,” AdaCore says.
“The tire pressure system can allow outside access, and that’s the source of the security problem. This system needs to be protected.”
That said, we can now only sit back and wait for the time when we'll have to install antivirus software on our vehicles. We reckon that time is just around the corner.