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Tesla Model S Hacked by Qihoo 360 at Security Conference

A team of Chinese hackers managed to break into the electronic brain of the Tesla Model S and control various core functions of the electric vehicle. This first documented successful hack of the EV happened at this year's SyScan +360 security conference.
Tesla Model S P85 Interior 1 photo
Photo: original photo by autoevolution
The Qihoo 360 team of hackers won a modest $10,000 for the feat. For those of you that aren't accustomed to the company, Qihoo 360 Technology specializes in developing antivirus software, internet browsers and other third-party products.

Although the winning team as well as the company declined to reveal how they actually hacked into the Tesla Model S, the security firm's hackers managed to gain control of the vehicle's door locks, horn, wipers, headlights and sunroof. Truth be told, any internet or Bluetooth-connected device such as the highly technologized Model S is susceptible to hacking jobs.

So what was the electric vehicle manufacturer's opinion on this? Well, Bloomberg reports that officials pledged to investigate the hacking and try to fix any digital vulnerabilities uncovered at SyScan +360.

"While Tesla is not associated with the conference and is not a sponsor of the competition, we support the idea of providing an environment in which responsible security researchers can help identify potential vulnerabilities," declared an official via e-mail. "We hope that the security researchers will act responsibly and in good faith."
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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