Vehicle cybersecurity and techno-stress
JUST when you thought it was safer to drive modern high tech cars then those old classics, thehackernews.com recently revealed that multiple software errors affecting millions of vehicles from 16 different manufacturers could be hacked to unlock, start, and track cars, plus impact the privacy of car owners.
The security vulnerabilities were found in the automotive APIs powering Acura, BMW, Ferrari, Ford, Genesis, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Rolls Royce, Toyota as well as in software from Reviver, SiriusXM, and Spireon.
The flaws run a wide gamut, ranging from those that give access to internal company systems and user information to weaknesses that would allow an attacker to remotely send commands to achieve code execution.
The research builds on earlier findings from late last year, when Yuga Labs researcher Sam Curry detailed security flaws in a connected vehicle service provided by SiriusXM that could potentially put cars at risk of remote attacks.
The most serious of the issues, which concern Spireon’s telematics solution, could have been exploited to gain full administrative access, enabling an adversary to issue arbitrary commands to about 15.5 million vehicles as well as update device firmware.
“This would’ve allowed us to track and shut off starters for police, ambulances, and law enforcement vehicles for a number of different large cities and dispatch commands to those vehicles,” the researchers said.
Other flaws make it possible to access or modify customer records, internal dealer portals, track vehicle GPS locations in real time, manage the license plate data for all Reviver customers, and even update vehicle status as “stolen”.
The interconnectedness of our digital devices is making securing cars more challenging – as exemplified by cyberattacks on cars increasing by almost 300 per cent in the last three years, with about 90 per cent of these attacks executed remotely.
It is obvious that as the technology of cars becomes more advanced, so does the complexity of their intelligent software systems. Furthermore, identifying the software supply chain vulnerabilities caused by ‘smart’ features requires deep knowledge of software and hardware systems and an understanding of the custom protocols that are specific to connected vehicles and their automotive systems. Should you be worried, perhaps just ensure your vehicle is well maintained not only physically/ operationally but also through software updates and patches. Enquire with your car dealer when doing regular maintenance.
Recently an insightful blog by Joanne Griffin on techno-stress (is there such a word?) had me thinking on the long term effects.
Basically the premise is that in modern times, technology has introduced a new kind of threat – information overload – and an entirely new reward system – likes and followers! Both can be addictive and potentially damaging to our brains. In an ideal world, our everyday use of technology would enhance eustress and mitigate distress. However, mounting evidence shows that technology-induced stress is reaching pandemic proportions and has the potential to undermine organisational agility and the adoption of emerging technologies.
Technostress is the new uberstressor of our time. Spurred on by the pervasive use of technology in our lives and the increased digitalisation of work, this new source of stress transcends geographical and cultural barriers, and is wreaking havoc in organisations and societies. A constant barrage of new devices and apps is creating unprecedented demands on our Palaeolithic brains, while our dopamine receptors are being rewired by the digital age leaving many of us feeling frazzled and unfulfilled by the mundanity of work.
The term technostress was first introduced by the American psychotherapist Craig Brod in 1984. Even before the digital age,
Brod described this new form of stress as “a modern disease of adaptation caused by an inability to cope with the new computer technologies in a healthy manner”.
As with everyday stress, technostress can have both positive and negative impacts. When technology induces eustress, we are challenged and motivated by the opportunity to grow and learn. In the eustress zone, tech apps can deliver satisfaction and joy, help us make decisions and enable us to adapt with ease. With technology at its best, organisations can improve performance, efficiency, and innovation. On the downside, techno-distress can make employees feel undervalued and under recognised.
Technostress is typically triggered in the following circumstances:
When there is a high dependency on technology;
When we perceive a gap between what we know and what we need to know, and
We detect a change in work culture brought about by technology.
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Apparently this type of stress gives way to physiological symptoms like fatigue, irritability, and insomnia, and a host of psychological symptoms such as frustration, additional mental load, scepticism, a reduction in job satisfaction, reduced commitment, and lower productivity.
Research into technostress is picking up in recent years as we try to understand the underlying causes of low adoption, failed digital transformations, and falling productivity at work. While new findings continue to emerge, technostress is most frequently analysed across five key domains. Each domain acts as an individual ‘stressor’ contributing to total levels of technostress. These stressors act as hidden threats to digital adoption and have the potential to derail even the most carefully considered tech implementations.
The five key domains are:
1. Techno-overload
2. Techno-invasion
3. Techno-complexity
4. Techno-insecurity 5. Techno-uncertainty Techno-overload
Too much to pay attention to, not enough mental space. We’ve learned that our human capacity to adapt to technological changes is compromised by infobesity and choice overload in recent years.
Trying to keep pace with the latest updates and features across all our applications is next to impossible. New features often signal something new for us to learn and adapt to. While technology processes tasks faster, it may inadvertently create more work when the output passes to a human. The pressure to adapt and maintain productivity at the same time is a common source of anxiety in the digital age of work!
Techno-invasion
Accelerated by the pandemic, work apps have invaded our personal devices, our personal space, and our personal lives. The lines of demarcation between work and home have been irretrievably blurred, making it harder to disengage from work or focus on rest. Our ‘always on’ culture means that we’re more available, to more people, more of the time: while we may be out of sight when working remotely, we are rarely out of contact.
Techno-complexity
Every one of us has encountered a new piece of technology that comes with more features and functions than we could possibly ever need or use. The sheer variety of functions and seemingly endless possibilities can intimidate any user. Surveys show that employees use only 40 per cent of the features of any software application. It’s no wonder we’re disillusioned with digital transformations that promised to make our lives easier!
While training can help – a one-size-fits-all approach to classroom training is rarely an effective way to drive digital adoption. We don’t have the time and mental resources to invest in learning and understanding how to use each feature, so we do our best to intuitively navigate new systems, often feeling helpless and inadequate as we do so.
Techno-insecurity
As technology expands its corporate footprint, many employees are naturally anxious to understand how they will be impacted.
Techno-uncertainty
We accept that technology is advancing at an increasing rate and we’re under pressure to learn and adapt to new tools and features at a faster pace than ever before. The knowledge and skills we have spent years perfecting are becoming outdated at an accelerated pace and the demands on relearning can exhaust our mental capacities.
It’s time to prioritise human evolution (and peace of mind) above technological revolution.
As a wise person once observed: ‘Always take time to stop and smell the roses…’ God bless and stay safe in both digital and physical worlds.
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