Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Malware infects Android-based automotive head unit firmware

securelist.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 154 posts

Re: Malware infects Android-based automotive head unit firmware

#61

Post by charcircuit »

reaperducer wrote: post #59
spicyjpeg wrote: post #23

The article does not make it particularly clear, but the malware in question is delivered through official first-party OTA updates on cheap Chinese aftermarket head units that happen to run Android. It cannot self-propagate to any Android-based head unit, nor does it affect Android Auto which is a "dumb" screen mirroring protocol with the bulk of the software running on the connected phone rather than the head unit.…

It cannot self-propagate to any Android-based head unit Remember that not that long ago viruses spread through floppy disks. Today, people share USB sticks full of music from one car to another all the time. They also bring their music from their home car to a rental car and back.

Most people just bring their phone between cars for music.

Re: Malware infects Android-based automotive head unit firmware

#62

Post by chrisjj »

1970-01-01 wrote: post #12

..to add to a botnet for click fraud. The duality of cybersecurity is interesting. Sometimes the high bar is cleared just to enable a low bar to go lower. Those PLCs monitoring water were ignored for a very long time because they couldn't click on ads. It took a war for them to become a target.

> Those PLCs monitoring water were ignored for a very long time because they couldn't click on ads.

Somehow I doubt it. They're ripe for ransomware attack.

Re: Malware infects Android-based automotive head unit firmware

#64

Post by alphager »

mschuster91 wrote: post #42
spicyjpeg wrote: post #23

The article does not make it particularly clear, but the malware in question is delivered through official first-party OTA updates on cheap Chinese aftermarket head units that happen to run Android. It cannot self-propagate to any Android-based head unit, nor does it affect Android Auto which is a "dumb" screen mirroring protocol with the bulk of the software running on the connected phone rather than the head unit.…

> nor does it affect Android Auto which is a "dumb" screen mirroring protocol with the bulk of the software running on the connected phone rather than the head unit Huh, how does that work anyway? And while we're at it, Apple CarPlay as well? Both can run wirelessly via Bluetooth, but BT is nowhere near capable enough to stream full bandwidth video?

They didn't run over BT. BT is used to initiate communication and share the password to a wifi-network. It then uses that Wi-Fi network for most communication, keeping the BT channel strictly for telephony.

Re: Malware infects Android-based automotive head unit firmware

#65

Post by chrisjj »

spicyjpeg wrote: post #23

The article does not make it particularly clear, but the malware in question is delivered through official first-party OTA updates on cheap Chinese aftermarket head units that happen to run Android. It cannot self-propagate to any Android-based head unit, nor does it affect Android Auto which is a "dumb" screen mirroring protocol with the bulk of the software running on the connected phone rather than the head unit.…

> It cannot self-propagate to any Android-based head unit

Article does not say that.

Re: Malware infects Android-based automotive head unit firmware

#66

Post by izacus »

mschuster91 wrote: post #42
spicyjpeg wrote: post #23

The article does not make it particularly clear, but the malware in question is delivered through official first-party OTA updates on cheap Chinese aftermarket head units that happen to run Android. It cannot self-propagate to any Android-based head unit, nor does it affect Android Auto which is a "dumb" screen mirroring protocol with the bulk of the software running on the connected phone rather than the head unit.…

> nor does it affect Android Auto which is a "dumb" screen mirroring protocol with the bulk of the software running on the connected phone rather than the head unit Huh, how does that work anyway? And while we're at it, Apple CarPlay as well? Both can run wirelessly via Bluetooth, but BT is nowhere near capable enough to stream full bandwidth video?

They actually run over WiFi (WiFi direct IIRC) - Bluetooth is mostly just used as a setup handshake and to help the head unit decide which phone in the car should be the one connected.

Re: Malware infects Android-based automotive head unit firmware

#67

Post by izacus »

Zigurd wrote: post #30
MBCook wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Android Automotive is the infotainment system’s OS and runs fully without a phone. Android Auto is the Google equivalent of CarPlay and runs on your phone. It’s easy to confuse. Like watching Apple TV on your Apple TV in Apple’s TV app.

Did they hire their branding person from Microsoft? And how about AppFunctions (Google) and App Intents (Apple)?

How would you name them?

Re: Malware infects Android-based automotive head unit firmware

#68

Post by ajross »

chrisjj wrote: post #65
spicyjpeg wrote: post #23

The article does not make it particularly clear, but the malware in question is delivered through official first-party OTA updates on cheap Chinese aftermarket head units that happen to run Android. It cannot self-propagate to any Android-based head unit, nor does it affect Android Auto which is a "dumb" screen mirroring protocol with the bulk of the software running on the connected phone rather than the head unit.…

> It cannot self-propagate to any Android-based head unit Article does not say that.

Headline really quite clearly implies it, though. I think the correction is apt.

Bottom line is that lots of HN commenters here, as is our wont, will see this as a platform bug with a hated rival and not a bad third party integration that introduced vulnerabilities.

Like, if it was a Linux-based edge system from some fly-by-night contractor, would you be OK with a headline like "Malware infects Debian based refrigerators"? What'd Debian do?

Re: Malware infects Android-based automotive head unit firmware

#69

Post by Zigurd »

izacus wrote: post #67
Zigurd wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did they hire their branding person from Microsoft? And how about AppFunctions (Google) and App Intents (Apple)?

How would you name them?

Android Connect instead of Android Auto, and any word other than recycling the android app communication nomenclature "Intent." But hey I'm no branding genius so let's workshop this to close the loop.

Re: Malware infects Android-based automotive head unit firmware

#70

Post by _joel »

atmosx wrote: post #57
orbital-decay wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wikipedia's source policy makes it nearly impossible to refer to anything that is not in the media, and any sensitive article has to use weasel words like this. Are you just noting the issue with the article, or actually doubting that Kaspersky Labs is a de-facto FSB branch since at least 2015?

FSB? Oh you mean Russian “Federal Security Service” ?

It's been a while since I thought about Front Side Bus
Post reply on HN