Car Computer Security is more critical than ever as modern vehicles increasingly rely on computers for essential functions. Today’s cars are equipped with various control modules, including the Engine Control Module (ECM) or Engine Control Unit (ECU), which manage engine performance. For automatic transmissions, a Transmission Control Module (TCM) is also present. Additionally, many modern vehicles use a Powertrain Control Module (PCM), a combination of the ECU and TCM, to optimize efficiency and performance.
While these computer systems enhance driving, improve safety protocols, and boost fuel efficiency, they also introduce cybersecurity risks. With 237 million connected cars on the road today, a number projected to reach 400 million by 2025, the attack surface for cyber threats is expanding rapidly. This makes Car Computer Security essential for protecting both the safety and functionality of modern vehicles from potential cyberattacks.
Real-World Car Computer Security Threats
Car Computer Security is an evolving challenge with real-world implications. Cyberattacks in the style of Fast & Furious, where an entire city’s cars are hacked and dropped from parking garages, make for entertaining movies—but they’re far from realistic. In reality, threats to vehicle computer systems take on subtler, more sophisticated forms.
Security researchers have already demonstrated how real-world car cyberattacks can unfold. In 2015, Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek famously took remote control of a Jeep Cherokee, overriding the driver’s attempts to regain control. More recently, in January 2022, a 19-year-old hacker, David Colombo, remotely accessed 25+ Teslas worldwide, unlocking doors, rolling down windows, and even initiating keyless driving.
While these tests were conducted by ethical security researchers, state-sponsored actors could exploit similar vulnerabilities for more sinister purposes. One potential method involves infiltrating the car diagnostic device supply chain, introducing hidden threats that could compromise vehicle security on a massive scale.
Car Diagnostic Devices: A Hidden Threat to Car Computer Security
Car Computer Security also depends on the tools used to service modern vehicles. Nowadays, mechanics run all their tests through a car diagnostic device, like Autel® MP808K, or Launch® X431 V Plus, to identify various problems with a car. These highly specialized computers can indicate whether a suspension needs to get recalibrated. If the axel is not in line. Or when the headlights are too dim. Car diagnostic devices determine the exact issue, reducing costs and operation times.
However, Car Computer Security is not just about software vulnerabilities—it also faces the threat of hardware manipulation within the supply chain. Attackers can infiltrate production lines by posing as employees, tampering with car diagnostic devices by planting Raspberry Pi units inside or spoofing the cables that connect these tools to vehicles.
These hardware attack tools allow cybercriminals to compromise a car’s firmware through its diagnostic device, ultimately granting them full control over the vehicle. The risk is further amplified by Rogue Devices, which operate at Layer 1, allowing them to bypass traditional security solutions such as Network Access Control (NAC), Endpoint Protection Systems (EPS), Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), and IoT Network Security. As a result, victims remain unaware of a hardware-based attack until it’s too late.
State-Sponsored Car Computer Security Threats
Let’s consider a scenario in which a state-sponsored actor executes a hardware-based attack on a car diagnostic device. Suppose tensions are escalating between two nations, Fakeistan and Madeupistan. To gain an advantage, Fakeistan could hire a hardware-based hacking group to infiltrate Madeupistan’s manufacturing warehouses.
Once inside, the attackers could tamper with car diagnostic devices, replacing their connecting cables with spoofed components designed to compromise a vehicle’s firmware. But what would Fakeistan gain from such an attack?
By covertly seizing control of vehicles, Fakeistan could orchestrate widespread car accidents across Madeupistan, leading to physical injuries, chaos, and fear—all of which pose a direct threat to national security.
Protecting Emergency Vehicles
Car Computer Security is especially vital for emergency vehicles. If an attacker disables ambulances or police vehicles through compromised diagnostic devices, the impact could be catastrophic. Cities would be left vulnerable, with emergency services paralyzed and unable to respond.
By disrupting national infrastructure at this scale, Fakeistan could strategically weaken Madeupistan’s defenses, gaining a significant advantage. In a worst-case scenario, Fakeistan could exploit the crippled emergency response system to launch a direct invasion—with blocked roads, overwhelmed first responders, and widespread panic making it nearly impossible to mount an effective defense.
Ride With Sepio
As cyberwarfare continues to evolve, state-sponsored actors are exploiting every possible attack vector, making the above scenario increasingly realistic. Defending against hardware-based attacks on car diagnostic devices requires visibility at the physical layer, a crucial aspect of Car Computer Security.
Sepio’s Asset Risk Management (ARM) platform addresses these security gaps by providing comprehensive Layer 1 visibility. With ARM, no device goes unmanaged. The solution identifies, detects, and secures all IT, OT, and IoT devices. Furthermore, ARM’s policy enforcement and Rogue Device Mitigation capabilities instantly block any unauthorized or malicious hardware, enabling a Zero Trust Hardware Access (ZTHA) approach that stops attackers at the first line of defense.
Unlock Complete Visibility for Your Car Computer Security
Unlike traditional solutions, Sepio’s ARM requires no additional hardware and does not monitor network traffic. Within just 24 hours, we deliver complete asset visibility, detecting previously unnoticed rogue or vulnerable devices. Think of ARM as a diagnostic tool, for your diagnostic devices. Schedule a demo today to see how Sepio’s ARM can protect your car computer security
