Self-driving cars and the cybersecurity risks and data breach risks they pose

Self-driving cars and the cybersecurity risks and the data breach risks they pose: an unanswered question…

Thieves can already break into cars by hacking remote-entry / keyless entry systems, and security researchers have proven before that the onboard computers of cars can also be hacked, leaving them free to control various parts of a vehicle.

As we move – at speed – toward self-driving cars and lorries being on our roads very soon, the issue of self-driving cars and the cybersecurity risks / data breach risks they pose must be addressed; especially with Tesla – one of the pioneers of self-driving cars – previously being hacked themselves!

It’s a worrying thought: you’re driving down a road with your self-driving vehicle in self-drive mode when the vehicle is hacked into, and the control of the vehicle is entirely in the hands of someone else. Your whole family may be in the car with you, and you can’t take back control of the car.

It’s not an impossible scenario. Nothing is “unhackable” so to speak. Hacking into cars is already a proven possibility. But, with governments and the car industry speeding towards self-driving vehicles being on our roads in a matter of years, the need for greater assurance to prevent hacking and data breaches is clearly required.

There have already been a number of accidents and fatalities that have been caused by self-driving cars during testing and first use phases. But, have the manufacturers considered the issue of cybersecurity and data breaches?

Carmakers are apparently concerned…

There is obvious value in hackers and criminals targeting self-driving vehicles; from taking them somewhere to steal the vehicle, or perhaps to even blackmail the occupants. You can’t take for granted what committed criminals are capable of, and we now live in a world where cyber-hacking and data breaches is the new way for thieves to make money.

People’s data is being held for ransom all the time, and there are plenty of people who will just pay the demands as opposed to risk anything being lost, or risk harm to themselves. Criminals are known to price their demands to suit the affordability of the victim, so these scenarios of hacking into self-drive cars is a real cause for concern.

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