It's Time To Bust the Ghosts in Our Cars with Eric Monterastelli Halloween Series Part III

In the final, crossover episode of our three-part Halloween series, Eric Monterastelli, Public Sector SE at Delinea, Founder, Crew Chief of Gran Touring Motorsports and Host of the Break/Fix Podcast, joins Carolyn Ford and Tracy Bannon to discuss the scary reality of car security. Is your car spying on you? Can a nefarious actor take over your car? Does your car know your deep personal data like your immigration status, race and more? Hint: It can and it does.

Key Topics

• 00:02:05 Technology advances put vehicles at risk.
• 00:06:25 Hijacked Jeep's wireless signal, turning it off.
• 00:07:35 Chrysler systems hacked due to digital admission.
• 00:10:47 New EV platforms streamline technology for efficiency.
• 00:15:13 Disconnect, purge and be careful: data can be accessed.
• 00:18:58 Using TrueCar, author obtained personal information illegally.
• 00:21:54 Pre-OBD2 Mercedes is OBD1.
• 00:25:12 Mozilla uncovers alarming auto data collection.
• 00:28:29 Future vehicles will have integrated alcohol-detection systems.
• 00:32:48 Routers, cars can be hacked, collect data.
• 00:35:42 Read your vehicle's owner's manual for instructions.
• 00:36:55 Speak to rental clerk about removing data.

The Intersection of Cybersecurity, Car Security and the Ghostbusters Mission

Ghostbusters Mission: Car Security & Car Hacking

Eric Monterastelli talks about how cars have evolved to include more computing technology, which opens them up to potential attacks. He gives the example of a Jeep that was hacked to shut off while driving, demonstrating the real dangers.

Tracy Bannon contrasts U.S. car manufacturers that use many third-party components versus Tesla's more integrated system. She argues Tesla's approach may lend itself to more car security. The hosts explore different potential attack vectors into vehicles, like Bluetooth connections.

Mozilla Participants Share Automotive InfoSec Insights

Eric Monterastelli shares findings from a Mozilla report about the wide range of deep personal data that can be collected from cars. Including things like facial expressions, weight, health information and more. The hosts are alarmed by the privacy implications.

Tracy Bannon advocates that car manufacturers need to make cybersecurity a priority alongside traditional safety. She indicates cars are data centers on wheels, collecting information that gets sent back to big cloud data centers. They emphasize the need for vigilance from car owners about what information they allow their vehicles to collect.

Concerns About Data Collection in Modern Vehicles

Modern Car Security: Braking, Speed and Steering Patterns

Eric discusses the extensive data that is now collected by modern vehicles, especially EVs. He notes that information is gathered on things like stopping distances, brake pressure applied, vehicle speed and overall driving habits. This data is no different than the type of driver performance analysis done in race cars. Automakers are collecting real-world usage data from customer vehicles to analyze driving patterns and vehicle responses. Tracy adds that the average new vehicle contains over 100 different computers and millions of lines of code that are all networked together. This networked data covers areas like powertrain functions, safety features and infotainment systems. All of this interconnected data presents opportunities for tracking very detailed driving behaviors.

Privacy Risks in Driving: Collecting Personal Data and Concerns

Eric cites a concerning report that modern vehicles can potentially collect extremely sensitive personal data simply through normal driving. Including information on immigration status, race, facial expressions, weight,...