Hackers may have been able to remotely unlock your automobile, start or stop its engine, and even sound the horn thanks to a smartphone app for your car. Remotely hacking your car with simple information is now possible.
A security expert and bug bounty hunter, made those discoveries after researching vulnerabilities that might impact a variety of vehicles, including those made by Honda, Genesis, Nissan, Infiniti, and Acura.
He revealed how he was able to circumvent authorization checks and remotely unlock a vehicle only by knowing its owner’s email address, and finally achieve full account takeover, by exploiting weaknesses in the Hyundai app and API.
Fortunately, being a reputable security researcher, he quietly alerted the concerned parties to the problem, enabling them to repair the vulnerability before it was revealed.
Apps are meant to simplify drivers’ lives, not compromise their security. We can only hope that manufacturers will work harder to ensure that smartphones will be connected to cars in the future so that they will be better safeguarded.