For the first time, a hardware backdoor tool is presented having several advanced features, such as: remote control via SMS commands, automated launch of attack payloads at a GPS location or when a specific car status is reached; and a configuration interface that allows users to create attack payloads in an easy manner, information security training analysts said.
Now, the possibility of your car being automatically attacked based on its GPS coordinates or its current speed or any other set of parameters, it’s a reality.
The project is divided in two parts: the “Car Backdoor Maker” (PC software) and “The Bicho”, hardware-backdoor for CAN bus.
Car Backdoor Maker
The “car backdoor maker” is PC software that allows payload customization for using with the hardware-backdoor, comment an information security expert. It has an intuitive graphical interface:
The Bicho
The Bicho is a hardware-backdoor that must be connected to the car’s OBD-II port. It supports multiple attack payloads (pre-configured using Car Backdoor Maker) and it can be used against any vehicle that supports CAN, without limitations regarding manufacturer or model. Each one of the payloads is associated to a command that can be delivered via SMS, allowing remote execution from any geographical point. Furthermore, as an advanced feature, the attack payload can be configured to be automatically executed once the victim’s vehicle is proximate to a given GPS location, say the information security training researchers. The execution can also be triggered by detecting the transmission of a particular CAN frame, which can be associated with the speed of the vehicle, its fuel level, and some other factors, providing the means to design highly sophisticated attacks and execute them remotely.
Working as a cyber security solutions architect, Alisa focuses on application and network security. Before joining us she held a cyber security researcher positions within a variety of cyber security start-ups. She also experience in different industry domains like finance, healthcare and consumer products.
