Cybersecurity Risks in Modern Cars Shift to External Services

• •Cybersecurity vulnerabilities in cars have shifted to external apps and cloud services.
• •A data leak in 2024 exposed sensitive information of 800,000 Volkswagen Group vehicles.
• •Infotainment systems are critical weak points, allowing potential remote access to vehicle controls.

A study by researchers at the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology reveals that cybersecurity vulnerabilities in modern vehicles have increasingly moved from internal systems to external applications and cloud services. The researchers analyzed 413 vulnerabilities reported between 2022 and 2024, finding that weaknesses in apps, websites, and cloud services have nearly tripled compared to the previous decade. This shift poses significant risks, including potential unauthorized access to personal data such as GPS locations and contact information. A notable incident involved a data leak affecting around 800,000 vehicles from Volkswagen Group brands, where sensitive data was exposed online for months due to a vulnerability in a cloud service. The study emphasizes that basic security flaws, such as unchanged default passwords, are still prevalent. The infotainment systems remain a critical weak point, as demonstrated by past incidents where hackers gained control over vehicle functions through these systems.