1.4 Million Chryslers recalled for security hole
Following a report in the magazine Wired, Chrysler recalled 1.4 million models going back to 2013 that are vulnerable to a hack that would remotely control the vehicles, including the brake system, the engine, and the steering system.
Chrysler on Thursday upgraded its network, saying the update would prevent the remote hacking from taking place. Initially Chrysler said that its update required no action on the part of customers and dealers, but the next day they sent out recall notices for customers to bring their cars in to dealerships for modification.
This was not a surprise for Fiat Chrysler. They had been working for months with security researchers Chris Valasek and Charlie Miller who performed the hack, giving the automaker the time to create an effective patch.
The hackers found a vulnerability in a chip that provides a wireless and a cellular network connection to the vehicle’s Uconnect 8.4-inch infotainment system allowing them to rewrite the car’s firmware and send commands through the car’s internal computer network.
There have been no incidents with the affected cars in relation to the security flaw.