Advanced technology means increased hacker vulnerability

WASHINGTON – Hackers today aren’t just trying to break into bank accounts — they want inside homes, cars or even bodies. And any high tech security or control system can be hacked.

That’s the fallout from a recent tech conference in Las Vegas where researchers demonstrated they could get full control of a car just by getting access to the vehicle’s computer system.

The New York Times reports security technicians worry that could happen to home security systems — even implanted medical devices like pacemakers.

Charlie Miller, a security researcher with Twitter, tells the New York Times there aren’t many ways now for hackers to remotely attack cars. But as vehicles get Internet connections, it will get easier for them.

But, the good news is the government is aware of these vulnerabilities. Miller and a colleague received a grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to research ways carmakers can thwart these attacks.

WTOP’s Alan Etter contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter.

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