The world is opening up again and the skies and roads are full of happy travelers set on seeing our beautiful planet. Jetting off to a new location often includes renting a vehicle. BUT, did you know that automotive hacking is one of the fastest-growing ways for criminals to steal your information?
Modern vehicles are a real luxury.
We've not only got luxury seats and fancy grills, but loads of automated software created to keep you connected to the world and to make your automotive experience easier. Cruise Control
Engine Timing
Door Locks
Airbags
Audio Sytems
Nav Heated Seats There are loads of Bluetooth and WiFi technologies in modern vehicles that make our driving experience better.
However, when renting a vehicle and connecting your phone to said vehicle you are opening up yourself to several vulnerabilities and threats from dangerous hackers. Hackers gaining control of a vehicle and eavesdropping on your conversations is a rising threat with automated vehicles. Imagine the risks when you move into autonomous vehicles and fully automated cars... Recent stats show that in 2020 the number of cars hacked jumped by nearly 138%!!!! According to Upstream there will be a 99% increase of automotive hacking in the coming years. Cybersecurity measures are only going to get more important and there's a few things you need to keep in mind if you connect your smart phone to your rented vehicle. 1 | Update your Car's Software to the Latest Version Outdated software leaves you open to cybersecurity hacks. It's always a good idea to make sure your devices are updated to the latest patches and updates. That goes for vehicles but also phones and computers.
Take advantage of all the smart folks who are releasing software updates to help protect your devices and download the latest firmware updates for goodness sake! 2 | Use a VPN
VPNs are a proven way to help protect yourself. Using a VPN will make hacking your device and your vehicle more difficult for a hacker and it keeps your electronics systems more secure from external malware attacks. 3| Make sure you remove all traces of your phone when returning your rented vehicle. Pretty simple right? PLEASE make sure you delete the Bluetooth connection to your phone before returning your vehicle. It's very simple to do but very important to wipe all your private data that's been shared with your rental car. Not doing this leaves you open to attack.
You don't want that.
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