Security researcher Craig Smith has developed a device to test whether the diagnostic machines used in car dealers to control and modify modern cars can be hacked and then used as infection stations to spread malware to other vehicles and from there to other garages.
Craig calls this scenario an "auto brothel" and warns that his machine has found many car diagnostic brains vulnerable to a number of simple techniques. hacking.
His research work has been presented during this year's DerbyCon, a conference on security and piracy, held in Louisville, Kentucky, Louisiana, Kentucky.
A $ 20 worth device to check if the car diagnostic tool is hackable
At the same conference, Craig also presented a special device he created to test the diagnostic car brains in the garages of the official delegation network. The machine called it ODB-GW (Ol 'Dirty Bastard Gateway). The software for this tool, named Unified Diagnostic Services (UDS) Server, is also available for download from GitHub.
As Craig explains, the ODB-GW device was created to act as a honeypot (hacker trap), making the car's diagnostic brain think it's connected to a car.
On the other side of ODB-GW, Craig connects a laptop computer, from which he is now able to carry out basic tests and identify weaknesses in the auto diagnosis machine.
The technique used by the ODB-GW device to find vulnerabilities is called "fuzzying", which sends large random pieces of data to the car diagnostic machine and then sees how this machine reacts and when and how it sticks.
Car diagnostics are susceptible to a malware outbreak
Mr Smith says that when a malicious intruder learns what the vulnerabilities are on a diagnostic machine, he can create malicious programs that will be able to hack and pollute the device and then use the diagnostic machine to spread and to other cars that may be connected to this device, or even to be distributed via the WiFi network of the commercial agent to WiFi-equipped cars located in the workshop.
"As a safety auditor I definitely suggest you try it out, [...] it's a great market that hasn't been considered," says Smith, referring to the fact that the automaker has put in place minimal safety practices.
“Delegations are relatively vulnerable, have a very low level of security and usually do not yet have an internal IT department.
“You can make a malicious car, take it to a dealership for regular maintenance and from there attack the dealership. For example, when you plug in the diagnostic machine to see why the engine warning lamp is on, malware can get into the diagnostic machine. And then through this machine the software will get into any other car that will be connected to it, so you will have a car tolerance ”
Mr. Smith then goes deeper into the hacking scenario, stating that experts who manage to infect cars or dealerships with ransomware could charge exorbitant sums to unlock the cars, either from the individual owner of each car or from the car dealership which is responsible for their care and proper operation.
Craig Smith is his founder Open Garages, the author of the manual Car Hacker's Handbook, and today runs his own independent security research firm, Theia Labs.
You can see Craig's presentation at DerbyCon Craig below. Beware, in addition to being in English, the presentation is made with many references to the terminology of the car and hacking, so all of this may seem like a bit of pop.
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