SACRAMENTO, Calif. — October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and it extends beyond just your personal devices or your home network.
A nonprofit group has a warning for drivers about a ‘privacy nightmare’ with new cars and the data they’re collecting. It could affect how much you pay for insurance or put you at risk for financial fraud.
Ben Sadeghipour, an ethical hacker security researcher with Savant Solutions, might have one of the coolest jobs out there.
“I legally hack into companies for a living,” he said. “16-year-old me would be very proud.”
He’s hacked into companies like Yahoo, Amazon and Zoom — with their permission, of course.
“I report vulnerabilities to them,” he said.
And he says your car could be a personal data vulnerability for you. A new report warns all the fancy technology in your vehicle like cameras, microphones and apps could be collecting data on you. That means someone could be spying on you, tracking you or selling your information.
"They know your driving habits. They know how fast you drive; they know how quickly you stop and how quickly you start, and the list goes on,” said Scott Spiro, a cybersecurity expert and co-founder of Sugarshot.
Experts say that data could be used by insurance companies to determine premiums, or worse, if a criminal has those details they can engage in all types of fraud under your name. Identity theft can ruin your credit, pin you with legal issues and it's difficult to fight back.
“If someone has your password, it can easily log into your account and see your whereabouts, see your behaviors, unlock your car,” said Sadeghipour.
According to a new study released by the Mozilla Foundation, it’s information that isn’t hard to get. The study found cars scored the worst for privacy among a dozen apps and electronic devices studied — 19 of the 25 popular car brands say they can sell drivers’ personal data. Half acknowledge they’ll share your information with the government or law enforcement if asked.
The study also found 84% of car companies share that information with other businesses.
“My rule of thumb, especially with my car, is if I don't need it, it is not going to be enabled,” said Sadeghipour.
Delete any apps you aren’t using. Some car companies give you the option to opt out of data collection, but that could impact functionality.
Remember, practice what Sadeghipour calls ‘security hygiene,’ always use strong passwords, update your software, and turn on multi-factor authentication especially when it comes to anything with your address, social security numbers and bank accounts.
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