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VW Has Spent Two Years Trying to Hide a Big Security Flaw

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Re: VW Has Spent Two Years Trying to Hide a Big Security Flaw

#12
post #5

To anyone with any background at all in computer security, this is such a "duh" moment. If Sony et al can't secure their massively important corporate infrastructure, what are the odds your car's wireless computers are secure in any way? They aren't, they knew it, and you knew it. Sorry. It'll be interesting to watch the fallout from these obviously-present vulnerabilities. I see three possible outcomes, in decreasin…

The attack vectors available for use against a corporation is infinitely larger than those available for a car. It's not really a fair comparison.

Re: VW Has Spent Two Years Trying to Hide a Big Security Flaw

#15

So what manufacturers do seem to care about security? If I wanted to buy a car made in the last few years, who is least likely to be cracked?

Tesla's at least on top of their software updates, and I believe they designed some more sensible separation of systems than most cars. For affordable options, I have no idea.

Wait until Teslas become cheaper.

Until then, buy a Lada Niva. No one will want to steal it and it doesn't have anything complicated in it that can be hacked.

Re: VW Has Spent Two Years Trying to Hide a Big Security Flaw

#16
So has VW taken advantage of the time given to them by the courts to release fixed transponders in new vehicles and slowly replace the current defective ones as part of a routine service?

Otherwise they've just delayed the information getting out which seems pointless?

Re: VW Has Spent Two Years Trying to Hide a Big Security Flaw

#17
post #2

Besides locking your car into a garage, is there anything a VW owner can do to make it more difficult for these types of thefts to occur?

You could always use a club: http://www.amazon.com/Club-1000-Original-Steering-Wheel/dp/B...

But anyone waiting to spend 30 minutes with an electronic crack is also smart enough to use liquid nitrogen to crack this too.

The difference is that a keyless hack can look natural since there is no physical force for entry or ignition. A funnel and chisel would raise some eyebrows.

Re: VW Has Spent Two Years Trying to Hide a Big Security Flaw

#18
ITT: nobody so far advocating "responsible disclosure", because this is the sort of vendor abusiveness that made "full disclosure" clearly a good idea, and an essential protection for the interests of the end user.

The Internet of Things will recapitulate all the painful experience of how this stuff works out we just spent twenty years getting sorted out in the software field.

Re: VW Has Spent Two Years Trying to Hide a Big Security Flaw

#19

So what manufacturers do seem to care about security? If I wanted to buy a car made in the last few years, who is least likely to be cracked?

I drive a Hyundai Accent with manual windows and doors.

No one is going to crack that but a guy with the right piece of plastic can still take down a window, get in, and steal the car. If someone wanted to murder me, they'd need physical access to the car to mess with it.

So...yeah. No situation is 100% safe or secure. However, pretty much anything wireless pretty much guarantees any criminal can just make a kit to do X and sell it to actual car thieves claiming he thought they were [legal profession like car repo].

Sort of like how people sell malware/"security tools" now. "Oh, I sold it to a criminal. HOW COULD I HAVE KNOWN?" :p

Re: VW Has Spent Two Years Trying to Hide a Big Security Flaw

#20
post #5

To anyone with any background at all in computer security, this is such a "duh" moment. If Sony et al can't secure their massively important corporate infrastructure, what are the odds your car's wireless computers are secure in any way? They aren't, they knew it, and you knew it. Sorry. It'll be interesting to watch the fallout from these obviously-present vulnerabilities. I see three possible outcomes, in decreasin…

The attack vectors available for use against a corporation is infinitely larger than those available for a car. It's not really a fair comparison.

Not only that - but the 'duh' moment for me was the 96bit key size.
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