With all the recent news of cars being hacked and other types of technology, you may be wondering how to keep your vehicle safe.
The truth is that there are many simple steps you can take to ensure that your car remains protected from hackers.
While these tips aren’t fool-proof, they’ll go a long way in keeping your ride safe and sound with no worries about tampering or unwanted access.
1. Keep Software Up To Date
It’s important to keep up with the latest software versions for your car, whether it’s a cell phone app or a navigation system.
Computer programs constantly get new updates to fix bugs and improve performance.
The same goes for applications like music streaming services or in-car WiFi hotspots.
When companies release new versions of their products, they also patch up security vulnerabilities and bugs that could be exploited by hackers as well as other malicious third parties.
If you are unsure where these fixes might reside on your vehicle’s hard drive or how often they should be updated, ask your mechanic.
2. Don’t Leave Your Car Unlocked
It may seem like everyone should know by now, but never leave your car unlocked. A smart thief will take advantage of the opportunity to break in and steal whatever valuables you have inside.
Additionally, if you’re not careful with your keys, someone might be able to duplicate them and gain access to your home or other personal spaces.
If a hacker gains access to the inside of your vehicle, they can easily manipulate the computer program of your car.
A hacked car can malfunction and even cause a fatal accident. In these cases, the hacker is responsible. If you have had a loved one die due to car hacking, find out what you can do about it here.
3. Only Connect to Secure Networks
Public Wi-Fi is notoriously insecure, and it’s not uncommon for hackers to set up fake Wi-Fi networks with names similar to real ones. The best way to protect yourself against these attacks is by not connecting.
Don’t connect without a password on a secured network (or one that requires you to enter some other type of login info).
Hackers can use password guessing tools and brute force attacks until they find the right one and get access to your system through an open network connection.
Avoid connecting on unencrypted public Wi-Fi networks (or any other unsecured wireless connection).
Encryption is when you run data through an algorithm to become indecipherable until it reaches its intended recipient.
This article gives five ways to make sure your internet connection is secure.
4. Install Anti-Malware On Your Phone
Anti-malware is a program that, like antivirus software, scans your phone to protect against malware.
Malware is an umbrella term for any kind of malicious software that can be installed on your device. Malware can cause nasty issues on your phone, including slowing it down and draining the battery.
Malware can be installed through apps and links in text messages or email attachments.
Hackers commonly spread malware by sending out fake phishing texts promising free airline tickets or saying that someone has won money in a lottery (though these have gotten more sophisticated as time goes on).
They’re also known to trick users into downloading fake versions of popular apps or opening malicious links sent through messaging apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.
If you’ve been hacked or suspect you might have been hacked—and even if you don’t know what anti-malware is—you should take steps to check for malware on your iPhone and clean up any problems before they get worse.
Once the hacker gets into your phone and you connect it to your vehicle, they can also gain access to your car’s programs.
5. Check Your Car’s Safety Features
You can use a security feature called a “kill switch” to disable your car if you forget to lock it before leaving.
This is great for preventing theft and vandalism, but ensuring the kill switch isn’t turned off by accident is important.
You should also ensure your car’s security features are working properly at least once a month. These safety features can protect you against hackers.
Conclusion
The key to keeping your car’s data safe is to stay vigilant.
Remember that hackers are always trying new ways to get into your system and take control of it. If you don’t take steps now, they just might succeed tomorrow.
While we can never be entirely certain about how secure our systems are, following these tips will give us a leg up on those who seek harm rather than good.
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