Who hacked my car?

When it comes to hacking, it’s not just your laptop, smartphone, or tablet that’s at risk. In the age of the connected vehicle, your truck or car may be a target as well. In fact, cyberattacks on cars have more than doubled in the last three years, according to the “2022 Global Automotive Cybersecurity Report” from Upstream, an Israeli-based operator of a cybersecurity and data management platform.

Hackers are becoming more sophisticated, leveraging advanced technologies to carry out attacks, the report said. “Fifty percent of vehicle thefts across the U.K. in 2021 involved keyless entry attacks, and 82% of overall global attacks were carried out remotely, needing no physical access to the car,” said Yonatan Appel, co-founder and CTO of Upstream, in a release. 

As for what drivers can do to protect themselves from cyberattacks, the report offered four suggestions: 

• Secure your car’s systems with strong passwords,
• Keep your car’s software up to date with the latest software patches,
• Be aware of cyberthreats by staying current with the latest security news, and
• Be cautious when using third-party apps—or better yet, use only apps provided by the vehicle manufacturer.