Hackers will hack anything! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Bill Wood · #1 01-03-2008, 05:55 PM

Hackers have been hard at work hacking any new technology they can find. If you think Microsoft Windows is all they can break then you are in for a rude awakening.

For example:

1) Car Navigation Systems
Many of the newer nav systems use a technology called Radio Data System-Traffic Message Channel (RDS-TMC). This is used to receive traffic broadcasts and emergency messages.

Hackers have figured out how to send bogus traffic reports and even worse, send DDOS attacks which can bring down your nav system and possibly your climate control and stereo if it's a factory integrated unit.

2) WiFi sidejacking
Hackers have developed a powerful WiFi sniffing tool named "hamster" that can easily grab your WiFi packets out of the air and decode your cookies and URLs you have visited. With that information the hacker can access any of your on-line accounts that you have been recently accessing unless you have logged off. If you simply close your browser instead of logging off then you are vulnerable.

3) Eighteen-wheelers
More manufacturers are using RFID-based electronic product codes on merchandise instead of just UPC bar codes. Hackers have figured out how to remotely scan an entire trailer to figure out the contents including product information and serial numbers. This will be popular for industrial espionage if you want to know what your competitor is shipping or simply to help thieves figure out which truck to rob.

4) Financial Information Exchange (FIX)
This is the application protocol used by financial services firms, stock exchanges and investment banks for automated financial trading. Hackers have figured out how to implement DDOS attacks, session-hijacking and "man in the middle" attacks.

5) iPhone
Hackers have figured out how to install "rootkits" on the Apple iPhone which allows them to control all aspects of the phone including the camera, microphone, contact list and phone hardware. It makes for a great spying device!

All of this new technology is great but it creates new opportunities for the bad guys! Everything from cars to home thermostats to refrigerators are becoming high-tech and remotely accessible.