"White Hats" Go Public on Car Hacking by Remote Control!

[Camilo]

http://divinecosmos.com/start-here/davids-blog/1163-white-hats-car-hacking

On July 14, 2013, we leaked exclusive insider info revealing that all cars made since 2008 can be remote-controlled. Nearly a year later, a group calling themselves "White Hats" has proven this can be done -- in a twelve-minute video with Motherboard that just "went viral" on Digg.com.

It is very important that we inform ourselves and spread the truth as it becomes available. By participating in this mass disclosure ourselves, we are helping to ensure a positive outcome.

David Wilcock

http://youtu.be/3jstaBeXgAs

[joeecho]

I have been interested in what this technology was all about ever since the death of Michael Hastings.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jstaBeXgAs#t=25

[Cidersomerset]

This is scary really with the many people who have been 'accidented' over the
years on the roads by various methods , this seems like a technique government
assassins would be using.


CC80poJWip0


Published on 26 Jun 2013


Former U.S. National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure Protection, and
Counter-terrorism Richard Clarketold The Huffington Post on Monday that the fatal
crash of journalist Michael Hastings' Mercedes C250 coupe last week is "consistent
with a car cyber attack."

"There is reason to believe that intelligence agencies for major powers" — including
the United States — know how to remotely seize control of a car," Clarke said.

On Saturday, Infowars.com posted a video of a talk presented by Dr. Kathleen
Fisher, a program manager for DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency, an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the
development of new technologies. Fisher admitted that the Pentagon has
researched remotely controlling cars through hacking on board computers.

In 2011, Car and Driver magazine published an article substantiating the Pentagon
research. "Currently, there's nothing to stop anyone with malicious intent and
some ­computer-programming skills from taking command of your vehicle. After
gaining access, a hacker could control everything from which song plays on the
radio to whether the brakes work," writes Keith Barry, citing research conducted by
the Center for Automotive Embedded Systems Security, a partnership between the
University of California San Diego and the University of Washington. http://www.infowars.com/richard-clark.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HUFFINGTON POST....


Was Michael Hastings' Car Hacked? Richard Clarke Says It's Possible



Posted: 06/24/2013 6:03 pm EDT | Updated: 06/26/2013 7:24 pm EDT


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/24/michael-hastings-car-hacked_n_3492339.html

[sigma6]

This brings back memories of Diana's murder by the Monarchy... The technology might not have been as robust or sophisticated. (jamming the brakes and steering...?) but it was clearly heading in this direction. And we know a lot of technology comes from the Military Industrial Complex and I'm sure that especially includes black, covert ops, etc. (since they will have the most money per capita to burn) It's seems all the technology coming out today is to build the big brother state.

[Hervé]

[...]

"Currently, there's nothing to stop anyone with malicious intent and
some ­computer-programming skills from taking command of your vehicle. After
gaining access, a hacker could control everything from which song plays on the
radio to whether the brakes work," writes Keith Barry, citing research conducted by
the Center for Automotive Embedded Systems Security, a partnership between the
University of California San Diego and the University of Washington. http://www.infowars.com/richard-clark.

[...]
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/24/michael-hastings-car-hacked_n_3492339.html

Well, then...

... nothing's in the way of hijacking a Fly-By-Wire Boeing 777 like MH 370 which computer system is specifically designed to be overriden to remote-fly that bird like a drone while preventing human's interventions whether they be legitimate pilots or human hijackers.

[MargueriteBee]

Wow, glad I walk more now than drive.

[bbj3n546pt]

Boston Brakes

This technique purportedly gets it’s name from first being used in Boston, Massachusetts, USA; as I recall in the mid-1980s.

A microchip transceiver is fitted to the target vehicle’s on-board computer, allowing the vehicle to be controlled remotely. [A transceiver transmits and receives electrical signals.]

In his book, "The Feather Men", Sir Ranulph Feinnes recounts in some detail a highly sophisticated assassination technique which he says has been employed by the world’s intelligence agencies for decades.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Feather_Men

A team of researchers led by professors at the University of Washington and USCD hacked the Controller Area Network (CAN) system installed on all new cars built in the United States to show how potentially vulnerable the system is. The CAN is supposed to allow onboard vehicle systems to communicate so problems are easier to diagnose, but [in] the hands of these hackers it's the open door to disabling a vehicle.
http://www.autosec.org/publications.html

How it Works: The Computer Inside Your Car
http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/repair/how-it-works-the-computer-inside-your-car

[cursichella1]

[...]

"Currently, there's nothing to stop anyone with malicious intent and
some ­computer-programming skills from taking command of your vehicle. After
gaining access, a hacker could control everything from which song plays on the
radio to whether the brakes work," writes Keith Barry, citing research conducted by
the Center for Automotive Embedded Systems Security, a partnership between the
University of California San Diego and the University of Washington. http://www.infowars.com/richard-clark.

[...]
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/24/michael-hastings-car-hacked_n_3492339.html

Well, then...

... nothing's in the way of hijacking a Fly-By-Wire Boeing 777 like MH 370 which computer system is specifically designed to be overridden to remote-fly that bird like a drone while preventing human's interventions whether they be legitimate pilots or human hijackers.


Exactly, and if, just now, we're being 'let in on' this info via the equivalent of a Press Release, you can be sure the technology has been available (to THEM) for decades. I would find this laughable if it weren't so pitiful that we're still gobbling up these revelations from David Wilcock as if they were breaking news. (These technologies have been out in the open in articles, books, patent registrations all along. Suggest reading Mark Gaffney or check out his video interviews)

Ok, so now it's 'Official'. What are we gonna do about it? Demand that auto manufacturers stop putting computers in our cars? Of course not, because we've become accustomed to the cool tech in our cars, plus, we're too busy or "fighting the system" is just boring, or whatever, and THEY know this...so all of the sudden we're complicit, enabling just one more control. Ooops!

Don't forget how these folks operate. "Allow'' some info to slip out, distract and confuse, instigating upset and disagreement, then revel in the fact that they've slipped just one more item past us peons, as we willingly overlook this whittling away of our freedom.

Princess Diana was killed in '97, so reasonable to assume the hack came in handy for the 'Royal family' that night.

I can think of several "accidents", by car and air, that were likely not. And I'm guessing that the surgical precision displayed on 911 can be attributed to this technology, with MH 370 being just the latest.

p.s. Time for David Wilcock to start "vetting" his "vetters". It appears to me he's being used.

p.p.s. This article on Rense claims the tech's been around since WWII! My neighbor in the 1970s had a remote controlled miniature plane that was fairly precise! (He was an engineer at Northrup aka Northrup-Grumman!)

http://www.rense.com/general74/try.htm

Gaffney article: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17162.htm

[Nick Matkin]

Interesting idea which has been debated before. Now doubt it may be possible and it's an excellent video to bring the possibility to wide attention. However...

1) If this equipment is already fitted to post-2008 cars, surely any competent motor mechanic would have noticed the extra components and wanted to know what the hell they were for.

2) When they discovered what the extra electrons did, I'm pretty sure there would be plenty of blogs and websites showing remote control being done (not just the one shown), and lots of "mischievous" videos showing hackers doing this for a "laugh" on friends' cars - and the possible tragic consequences which, when investigated, would eventually reveal what and how it happened.

3) Then there would be videos showing which wires to snip to disable the remote control. (There are lots of hacks to make may items of electronics do other stuff, DVDs to play all regions, transceivers to operate on extra frequencies, vacuum cleaners turned into death rays - er, no I made that one up, but you get the idea!)

So, as Devil's Advocate (again!) I'm not sure how genuine the posted video is. It certainly looks plausible, but is it? Would any experienced motor mechanics/car electronics experts (either amateur or professional) care to comment for a wider and informed opinion?

Nick

PS: I have a 2011 Ford Focus. I don't want to be 'accidented' or 'suicided' so which wires do I cut please?

[Strat]

1) If this equipment is already fitted to post-2008 cars, surely any competent motor mechanic would have noticed the extra components and wanted to know what the hell they were for.

Not necessarily. I agree with you and disagree at the same time, let me try to explain (forgive me if I'm not articulate I'm running on little sleep and yesterday was 9hrs of pool tournaments, my brain is fried.)

There would have to be something wrong with a car for the mechanic to physically pull out an ECM (catch-all term for the car's computer). They are tested with scan tools, you physically plug the scanner in and it brings up codes. Nowadays the scanners may flat out tell you what's wrong with the car, I don't know. I'm not a mechanic by trade but I do have some professional training.

You don't physically see the ECM, they're tucked away and a real PITA to get out. And that's where I think a mechanic would notice somethings up: interior components would most likely be busted up, unless of course said hacker had some experience with auto interior work.

So if you bring a car into the shop for oil change, tire balance, alignment, yadda yadda the mechanic will never see the ECM.


2) When they discovered what the extra electrons did, I'm pretty sure there would be plenty of blogs and websites showing remote control being done (not just the one shown), and lots of "mischievous" videos showing hackers doing this for a "laugh" on friends' cars - and the possible tragic consequences which, when investigated, would eventually reveal what and how it happened.

Absolutely quite possibly true, who knows? I just think this is too much effort for a prank (not to mention if you screw up the pranks on you now you gotta buy a $400 ECM), lotta work involved in getting that thing out, hours of time and like I said, the interior is gonna be busted up so at the very least if you managed to hack the ECM and put it back the owner of the vehicle would know they got broken into.

I don't know how it is for all cars (I think some ECM's are in the trunk, one of my controllers is but it's not the ECM I think it's brakes) but in general they're under the dash. So to get to it you'll be laying on your back. Your head is laying where you rest your feet typically rest (by the pedals), so you'll have all that fun stuff on the bottom of the car rubbing into your hair and everything.

If you want to try an experiment open your vehicle door and see how comfortable you can get laying on your back with your head next to your gas/brakes pedals looking up (lay down a towel). Then think how long you can stay there.


3) Then there would be videos showing which wires to snip to disable the remote control. (There are lots of hacks to make may items of electronics do other stuff, DVDs to play all regions, transceivers to operate on extra frequencies, vacuum cleaners turned into death rays - er, no I made that one up, but you get the idea!)

I haven't done any searches but I imagine there is. You can get full diagrams of any car ever made easily. So if you're an electronics whizz I imagine this would actually be a piece of cake (once the mechanical work is done). Wait - I just supported your argument didn't I? Damn!

This maybe what they were hinting at; these hacks are possible but just not likely to happen anytime soon. If it does happen it would be upper echelon kinda thing but like the guy in the video said - why? Why not just rat poison the targets toothpaste or something?

But then again, ya never know.


So, as Devil's Advocate (again!) I'm not sure how genuine the posted video is. It certainly looks plausible, but is it? Would any experienced motor mechanics/car electronics experts (either amateur or professional) care to comment for a wider and informed opinion?

I think between the two of us - with your electronics experience and my automotive experience - we could successfully rig this setup. I'm not saying it would be a clean job but I am extremely confident it would work. I'd bet money on it. We'd need a donor car though, we're not trying that **** on my Lincoln!

Honestly I am generally positive I could do this myself but it would take much longer because I'm only good with specifically automotive electrical systems. I'm not intimidated by the rest of the (enormously large) spectrum of electronics but it would take me that extra time to learn it.

EDIT: You edited your post as I was replying. Now I want to add to my post but my brain is fried. I'll probably pop back in here later, gonna watch a documentary and rest my brain.

[Nick Matkin]

@ Strat

I think you've clarified a point that was either not clear in the OP video, or I just missed it. The point being that some makes (which were not identified) may indeed have some theoretical remote capability, but it is not fitted as they come from the production line and probably not deliberately designed in. It's just a by-product of designing cars to be operated by computers and not mechanical linkages from driver-operated controls.

It seems more and more plausible as I think about it - a mobile/cell phone connection with appropriate interface with the car's electronics could indeed probably do all sorts of things. The car's computer doesn't know if the signals it is getting to speed up, slow down or stop are coming from the driver pressing the pedals or if they are being added between the pedals and the computer by an extra device getting its instructions from elsewhere.

Yes, that makes complete sense. It's just that the "conspiracy squad" have decided to believe TPTB are deliberately deigning cars that leave the factory to be remotely controlled straight away if need be. I very much doubt this is the case!

You could even remotely control a 1930s car if you had the appropriate servos connected to brakes, gears, steering, etc. wired to a cell phone and computer. I guess having most of a modern car's controls all done electronically without levers or mechanical linkages just makes it a whole lot easier.

Nick

[joeecho]

It seems more and more plausible as I think about it - a mobile/cell phone connection with appropriate interface with the car's electronics could indeed probably do all sorts of things. The car's computer doesn't know if the signals it is getting to speed up, slow down or stop are coming from the driver pressing the pedals or if they are being added between the pedals and the computer by an extra device getting its instructions from elsewhere.

Nick

I think that is the KEY.

And here is a thought, cannot OnStar remotely unlock a car etc.?

Information regarding OnStar:

"Starting in the 2009 model year, General Motors began equipping some new vehicles with Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. This feature allows OnStar to remotely slow down the stolen vehicle. The service is also expected to help reduce the risk of property damage, serious injuries or fatalities resulting from high-speed pursuits of stolen vehicles."

"Also in 2009, General Motors began equipping some new vehicles with Remote Ignition Block, allowing OnStar to remotely deactivate the ignition so when the stolen vehicle is shut off, it cannot be restarted."

"The Gen 6 and up models are CDMA digital. Some were Class 2 bus and some were CAN (Controller Area Network) bus."

[jerry]

Not would be using.... are using ....have used ....Michael Hastings comes to mind and then Princess Diana could she of been a victim of this type Technology before it was ever public knowledge

¤=[Post Update]=¤

"I don't want to be 'accidented' or 'suicided' " then steer clear of any and all dissent of you political leaders and don't piss off any geeks

[Strat]

And here is a thought, cannot OnStar remotely unlock a car etc.?

Information regarding OnStar:

"Starting in the 2009 model year, General Motors began equipping some new vehicles with Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. This feature allows OnStar to remotely slow down the stolen vehicle. The service is also expected to help reduce the risk of property damage, serious injuries or fatalities resulting from high-speed pursuits of stolen vehicles."

"Also in 2009, General Motors began equipping some new vehicles with Remote Ignition Block, allowing OnStar to remotely deactivate the ignition so when the stolen vehicle is shut off, it cannot be restarted."

"The Gen 6 and up models are CDMA digital. Some were Class 2 bus and some were CAN (Controller Area Network) bus."

The key thing to take away from this is the year/make/model(s) of equipped vehicles. That being said, I think you discovered the true weak link here. That is (I think, correct me if I'm wrong) a feasible way to carry out whatever devious plans one may have. Very practical, don't even have to touch the vehicle. Now we're talking about a (basic) auto security system which is connected to the internet.

1 Hack into OnStar
2 Lookup vehicle vin
3 Send whatever commands you want (however they will be limited)


-----------



It's just that the "conspiracy squad" have decided to believe TPTB are deliberately deigning cars that leave the factory to be remotely controlled straight away if need be. I very much doubt this is the case!

I hear ya brother! I look at this as a 'sensational read' rather than a damning discovery.


You could even remotely control a 1930s car if you had the appropriate servos connected to brakes, gears, steering, etc. wired to a cell phone and computer.

Absolutely, without question. The only limit is the pocketbook.

[joeecho]

It's just that the "conspiracy squad" have decided to believe TPTB are deliberately deigning cars that leave the factory to be remotely controlled straight away if need be. I very much doubt this is the case!

I hear ya brother! I look at this as a 'sensational read' rather than a damning discovery.


You could even remotely control a 1930s car if you had the appropriate servos connected to brakes, gears, steering, etc. wired to a cell phone and computer.

The only limit is the pocketbook.



1 Hack into OnStar
2 Lookup vehicle vin
3 Send whatever commands you want (however they will be limited)




Oh but they have and OnStar is a perfect example.

Those in power, that dearly want to retain it, have VERY deep pockets. No?

Those with deep pockets have access to capabilities that Joe ;) public has no clue exists yet.

Deep Pocket Sidebar: It's as if the .1% of 1% are from the future (re: Access to technology not yet know let alone available to the populous at large).


RE: Send whatever commands you want (however they will be limited)

Limited by the CAN (Controller Area Network) bus it would appear.

[Shezbeth]

Wow, glad I walk more now than drive.

My co-workers all think I'm 'nuts' because I walk 3 miles one-way to work. But then, they would think I was more nuts if they knew why I do it (beyond the obvious fitness and health benefits). And then, they would have to actually think and research in order to fully appreciate my reasons.

[bbj3n546pt]

Black Hat 2014: Hacking the Smart Car

Complete article at:
http://spectrum.ieee.org/cars-that-think/transportation/systems/black-hat-2014-hacking-the-smart-car/?utm_source=techalert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=080714

Excerpts:

[Chris Valasek] and [Charlie Miller (whose day job is at Twitter)] have conducted the first industry-wide study of remote hacking possibilities (not actual hacks) for smart cars. The researchers are presenting their work at this week’s Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas.

[T]he three most vulnerable of the 21 cars they looked at were the 2014 Jeep Cherokee, 2015 Cadillac Escalade, and the 2014 Infiniti Q50.

By contrast, the least hackable of the 21 were the 2014 Dodge Viper, 2014 Audi A8, and the 2014 Honda Accord.

[Valasek] says the full report he and Miller will be presenting at Black Hat this week will be posted on IOActive’s website [http://www.ioactive.com/] before the end of the summer.