Hacking experts ‘develop device’
BOSTON, July 23, (Agencies): Two security experts who a year ago exposed methods for hacking the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape say they have developed technology that would keep automobiles safe from cyber attacks.
At last summer’s Def Con hacking conference in Las Vegas, the two researchers, Chris Valasek and Charlie Miller, described ways to launch dangerous attacks, including manipulating the brakes of the moving Prius and the Ford Escape.
Valasek told Reuters on Tuesday that he and Miller will show off a prototype vehicle “intrusion prevention device” at next month’s Black Hat hacking conference in Las Vegas.
They built the device with about $150 in electronics parts, though the real “secret sauce” is a set of computer algorithms that listen to traffic in a car’s network to understand how things are supposed to work. When an attack occurs, the device identifies traffic anomalies and blocks rogue activity, Valasek said.
The two well-known computer experts decided to pursue the project because they wanted to help automakers identify ways to defend against security vulnerabilities in their products.
“I really don’t care if you hack my browser and steal my credit card,” Valasek said. “But crashing a car is life or death. It is dramatic. We wanted to be part of the solution.”
The research the two have released on the Ford and Toyota cars, as well as work by other experts on different types of vehicles, has raised concerns that somebody might one day try to replicate their work to launch a real-life attack.
Yet the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement on Tuesday that it is not aware of any incidents of consumer vehicle control systems having been hacked. The auto industry has beefed up efforts to identify and mitigate potential cybersecurity risks over the past few years.
Also: SAN FRANCISCO: US computer chip maker Nvidia launched a highperformance tablet Tuesday aimed at gamers who want the convenience of a mobile device.
The Nvidia Shield, with an eightinch high-definition display, “was built specifically for gamers,” according to the California company.
The $299 gadget has an optional $40 cover that can be used as a kickstand. A wireless controller can be added for $60.
“If you’re a gamer and you use a tablet, the Nvidia Shield tablet was created specifically for you,” said Jen-Hsun Huang, Nvidia’s cofounder and chief executive officer.