The automotive industry has embraced connectivity, bringing features like remote control and real-time tracking. However, as cars become smarter, they also become vulnerable to cyberattacks. A recent exploit involving Kia vehicles exposed significant security flaws, allowing hackers to remotely control cars using nothing more than a license plate number. Let’s dive into how this exploit happened, what it means for the industry, and how we can safeguard connected vehicles.
Are Connected Cars a Double-Edged Sword?
Imagine parking your car, locking it, and walking away, only to learn later that someone unlocked it remotely. This nightmare scenario became a reality for Kia owners in 2024 when cybersecurity researchers uncovered a critical vulnerability. In just 30 seconds, hackers could execute commands like unlocking doors or disabling the engine - all from the comfort of their keyboards.
This exploit shook the automotive world, revealing gaps in how manufacturers secure their digital ecosystems. But how did such a vulnerability slip through? What steps can ensure history doesn’t repeat itself?
Understanding the Exploit
How Did It Work?
The exploit targeted Kia’s backend systems, leveraging weaknesses in their application programming interfaces (APIs). Here’s a simplified breakdown:
Entry Point: A vehicle’s license plate served as the initial input. Using public APIs, attackers could extract the car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
Account Hijacking:
By registering as a fake dealer on Kia’s portal, attackers could obtain an access token, enabling them to impersonate legitimate users. Kia “dealer portal” is where authorized Kia dealers can match customer accounts with the VIN number of their new car.
For the customer accounts, Kia would ask the buyer for their email address at the dealership and send a registration link to that address where the customer could either set up a new Kia account or add their newly purchased vehicle to an existing Kia account.
The researchers found out that by sending a specially crafted request they could create a dealer account for themselves. After some more manipulation they were able to access all dealer endpoints which gave them access to customer data like names, phone numbers, and email addresses.
As the new “dealer,” the security researchers were also able to search by Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) number, which is a unique identifier for a vehicle. With the VIN number and the email address of the rightful owner, the researchers were able to demote the owner of the vehicle so that they could add themselves as the primary account holders.
Unfortunately, the rightful owner would not receive any notification that their vehicle had been accessed nor their access permissions modified.
Command Execution: With access tokens in hand, hackers could:
Unlock the car.
Start or disable the engine.
Retrieve sensitive personal data like the owner’s name and address.
What Made This Possible?
API Flaws: Kia’s APIs lacked robust authentication, allowing attackers to mimic legitimate app behavior.
Insufficient Validation: Kia’s backend systems didn’t adequately verify whether requests came from legitimate users or malicious actors.
Interconnected Systems: Overlapping vulnerabilities between the owner portal and dealership infrastructure compounded the problem.
This series of weaknesses enabled attackers to control nearly every connected feature of Kia vehicles manufactured after 2013.
The Road Ahead for Connected Car Security
The Kia exploit serves as a wake-up call for the automotive industry. As vehicles become increasingly digital, their security must keep pace with evolving threats. While Kia acted swiftly to address the issue, the incident underscores the importance of proactive measures.
For consumers, vigilance is key. Staying informed about potential risks and taking steps to secure your connected devices can help protect against future exploits.
Let’s embrace the future of mobility with the understanding that security is not optional—it’s essential. By learning from incidents like this, we can drive toward a safer, smarter automotive ecosystem.
-AJ
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