This is the best summary I could come up with:
Researchers have found that hackers could easily hijack WiFi networks at Tesla charging stations to steal vehicles — a glaring cybersecurity vulnerability that only requires an affordable, off-the-shelf tool.
“Phishing and social engineering attacks are very common today, especially with the rise of AI technologies, and responsible companies must factor in such risks in their threat models.”
Cybersecurity researchers have long rung alarm bells over the use of keyless entry in the car industry, which leave modern vehicles at risk of being stolen.
Using their weapon of choice, hackers create a spoof WiFi network called “Tesla Guest” that masquerades as the real thing.
If a victim were to try to access the network, which the EV maker normally provides free of charge to waiting customers, they could be duped into giving up their login by entering it into a duplicate site.
Once he told Tesla about his findings, the EV maker underplayed the vulnerability, telling him it was all by design and “intended behavior,” an assertion that Mysk called “preposterous” in his interview with Gizmodo.
The original article contains 428 words, the summary contains 175 words. Saved 59%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
Once logged in, the hackers could even create a new “phone key,” allowing them to come back to the vehicle later and drive off with it without raising suspicion.
That’s because Tesla doesn’t actually notify the user if a new key is created, as Mysk and Bakry point out in their video.
Mysk tested out the vulnerability on his own Tesla and found that he was easily able to create new phone keys without ever having access to the original, physical key card. That’s despite Tesla promising that wasn’t possible in its owner’s manual.
Once he told Tesla about his findings, the EV maker underplayed the vulnerability, telling him it was all by design and “intended behavior,” an assertion that Mysk called “preposterous” in his interview with Gizmodo.
“The design to pair a phone key is clearly made super easy at the expense of security,” he said.
Mysk argues it would be easy for the automaker to plug the vulnerability by simply notifying users if a new phone key is created.
Weird the dudes name is so close to Musk, but it sounds like this would be something incredibly easy for Tesla to fix, they’re just not doing it and denying it’s a problem…
It’s something they “broke” recently. You used to require a physical card to pair a new phone key. I noticed when I replaced my phone that it was no longer needed. They should be able to fix it easily, but I’m sure they won’t.
You can enable pin to drive to reduce the risk, but if you have the creds and there is no 2FA on the account then you can use the app to bypass it.
Really, crap, when I brought my Tesla home I promptly put the keycards somewhere secret even to me, expecting to never need them again
TL;DR: Phishing + no additional precautions against creating digital car keys once logged in
Worth noting that it isn’t just “hacking WiFi”. You have to have the username and password associated with the car.
It’s gotten to the point that whenever people see Teslas, they automatically start laughing.
Tesla also seems to have taken over the “douchebag driver” stereotype that used to be reserved for BMW’s and Mercedeses.
There are a lot of roundabouts where i live and when i see a tesla, he’s either not using his turn signal or is on the phone or somehow very often both. Tesla people seem to be on their phone more often than other people in the road. Which is even weirder, because they all have that elaborate electronics on board, no?
Who can bothered with silly driving when there are calls to make? They only bought a Tesla to have an electronic chauffeur. Even though it’s not supposed to be used for that.
Tesla people seem to be on their phone more often than other people in the road.
I don’t know, I see people in all different makes of cars talking on their phones while driving - usually that weird shit where they’re holding it flat in front of their face and yelling into the mic. I’m a school bus driver and whenever somebody blows past my flashing lights (which happens a lot), 99% of the time they’re on their phone and not paying attention. One time I even had a cop do this.
Honestly, I was taught that you should not use a signal in a roundabout, especially when the exits are so tight it’s easy to get confused if someone turns it on too early. I see now though that it’s the law in my area when exiting and I’ll start using it. I’ll be in the minority here.
I’m still not going to enter a roundabout just because I see someone’s turn signal on. I never trust them when I’m the one merging into a lane.
If they weren’t all so abysmally bad at handling their cars, maybe I’d have a different take. I swear that I get cut off, stuck behind, blocked by, or otherwise inconvenienced for dumb reasons by Teslas every time I drive.
It’s like despite all the cameras, they have zero spatial awareness. Or it’s a direct reflection of what’s in their head.
Eh…
I hate to do it, but in fairness the worst drivers are going to be the first to adapt self driving cars.
The issue is Tesla misrepresents how “self driving” their cars are.
So idiots who are bad drivers think the car is a good driver. Because they’re comparing it to their own driving, and overestimate how good they are at it
It’s not just to my own driving. It’s compared to other cars around them and to other cars around me. I just as often see Tesla drivers do stupid things unrelated to me.
I was at the mountain snowboarding this weekend. Two Teslas attempted to drive up the road to park. Both got stuck in the same place, one after the other. Then, instead of backing up or getting out of the way, they just got out and walked to the resort lodge.
This is just idiotic behavior and I see it time and time again. Seattle, where I live, has one of the highest Tesla ownership percentages in the country.
I’m all for electric cars. I am trying to understand why Tesla drivers have so many morons behind the wheel.
I’m not disagreeing, but having driven a Tesla for a couple weeks-- it’ll make a good driver look bad every time. Turning radius is surprisingly bad. Normal (through the window/mirror) visibility is bad. Handling is super weird and probably unlearnable in the default settings because the car seems to be constantly “correcting” your inputs even when not in autopilot. The default break style gives me motion sickness even when I’m the one driving. And the turn signals-- you just don’t know how long they’ll stay on, so I did start to feel reluctant to use them?
Interesting take. Thanks.
Do you think that embarrassment of the purchase, ignorance of what’s good, or status prevent more buyers from talking about that? As a person who enjoys the act of driving (though not the experience of driving in this city), I should see if I can get behind the wheel of one and attempt to be objective.
Edit: relevant post. https://slrpnk.net/pictrs/image/ea297ad5-1e8f-45cd-abad-d2b50d53e2bf.webp
I’m relieved this is universal. I thought I was going crazy. I’ve actually begun to give them a ton of space on the road now. I’ll purposefully take a different road, or on the freeway, get over to right lane and slow down to get the fuck away from them. It seems like they are making a point to drive as terribly as possible. It’s fucking crazy.
whenever people see Teslas, they automatically start laughing
I dunno, I’m a school bus driver and little boys (like, grades 1-8) always go apeshit when they see a Tesla (or a Ferrari or Lamborghini as well). And a lot of adults still seem to be buying them.
