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Malware Infections, Hackers Are the Biggest Fears of Connected Car Owners

There’s no doubt cars are becoming smarter and smarter, and the expansion that the tech world is getting ready to make in the automotive industry is likely to represent another big step in this regard.
Cars are getting smarted, becoming even more prone to hack attacks 8 photos
Photo: Mercedes
Ford cars will share information about potential road safety incidentsFord cars will share information about potential road safety incidentsFord cars will share information about potential road safety incidentsFord cars will share information about potential road safety incidentsFord cars will share information about potential road safety incidentsFord cars will share information about potential road safety incidentsFord cars will share information about potential road safety incidents
Companies like Apple, Xiaomi, Huawei, and possibly Google too are expected to bring a series of new tech innovations to the experience behind the wheel, and while this is clearly good news in terms of safety and comfort, it could also pose a threat as far as cybersecurity is concerned.

A survey conducted recently by HSB revealed that 37 percent of the connected car owners are actually very concerned about the security of their vehicles, while 35 percent fear that a virus or a cyberattack could lead to a malicious actor fully compromising the software or the operating system installed onboard.

Half of those who currently drive an electric vehicle said they believe their cars could be hacked when it’s connected to a charging station, as this is seen as a starting point for a more complex cyberattack that would eventually lead to a more massive breach providing access to locally stored data.

55 percent of the respondents say they sync their smartphones with their cars, but more worrying is that more than half of them actually have no idea what data is stored in the infotainment system.

When it comes to cybersecurity alone, 46 percent of the connected car owners said they believe a hacker would be able to access their audio system and thus get in touch with the person behind the wheel, eventually asking for a ransom.

While this certainly sounds terrifying, 25 percent of the respondents think even worse things could happen, such as the vehicle being completely immobilized by a malicious actor. 14 percent of the owners are worried they could be locked out of their vehicles.

And the most worrying tidbit concerns the actual hack attacks that happened in the last 12 months. One in ten consumers reporting a cyberattack in their vehicles, according to HSB, and this represents a 3 percent increase versus the same period a year before.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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