Researchers remotely disable car alarm thanks to weak Wi-Fi security

Security researchers at Pen Test Partners have discovered a vulnerability in Mitsubishi’s plug-in hybrid electric Outlander that could allow potential car thieves to disable the car’s anti-theft alarms. The security researchers investigate potential vulnerabilities in connected devices through the use of penetration testing and found that the Outlander’s Wi-Fi module can be accessed by anyone within range of the vehicle by connecting to it with their smartphone. They then discovered that it was possible to bypass the module’s merge security key by employing a brute force attack. In total, it took Pen Test Partners only four days to crack into… [Continue Reading]