Wireless Hacking of Parked Cars

News of databases, websites and wireless devices being „hacked“ seems to appear daily. Less attention has been paid to the vulnerability of modern cars to wireless attacks by hackers wanting to take control of them or to steal information from them. Parked cars are especially vulnerable to hackers, but automated parking systems (APS) can readily protect parked cars from hackers.

A car‘s vulnerability to hacking depends on the sophistication of the on-board electronics and communications. Modern cars can contain scores of electronic controls for various car functions as well as integrated phone/internet/navigation systems. Hackers aim to gain access to these controls and systems through a car‘s wireless communication systems, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular, satellite radio, FM data, keyless entry and start, internal internet hot spots, etc. The results of a car being hacked can include:

• Theft of personal or credit card information from car Bluetooth phone systems,
• Real-time location of car to facilitate crimes (e.g. assault, home burglary, etc.),
• Control/immobilization of car for carjacking or other crimes
• …

Cars are particularly vulnerable to hacking when they’re parked or being driven inside car parks. This is because some weaker wireless communication signals (e.g. Bluetooth, keyless entry, etc.) are only „hackable“ when the car is very close. Moreover, various wireless communications in the car remain active even when it’s parked (e.g. cellular systems for crash detection, remote unlocking, etc.).

Denying hackers a connection to a car‘s wireless communication is the ultimate protection for parked cars against hacking. If they can‘t communicate with a car, the hackers are unable to do anything.

For hacking protection for parked cars, automated parking systems (APS) provide unique advantages compared to conventional multistorey car parks. For starters, APS inherently prevent hackers from getting close enough to parked cars to connect to shorter-range wireless signals.

To learn more about how APS provide inherent safety and security for cars, drivers, neighbors and the environment, give us a call.

- Richard Denzler, CEO

About Skyline Parking AG

Skyline Parking AG designs and supplies the most space-efficient and fastest fully automated parking systems. Skyline’s systems provide high returns while being an environmentally and user-friendly answer to the growing scarcity and cost of urban space, worldwide. The broad range of products, means that Skyline Parking has a solution for virtually any location, problem or requirement.