Cybersecurity experts have uncovered a vulnerability in Nissan vehicles` multimedia system that could potentially allow unauthorized access and control. The findings were brought to public attention by the publication TechSpot.
Researchers from the firm PCA Cyber Security reported that they successfully compromised a Nissan Leaf, a widely used electric car. Their method involved using a radio frequency jamming device and bypassing standard security protocols. This allowed them to gain control over some vehicle functions and even listen to conversations inside the cabin via the integrated microphone.
The team elaborated that they first exploited a series of vulnerabilities and then used a 2.4 GHz Bluetooth jammer near the vehicle. This jamming technique caused a connection error in the media system, which they were then able to leverage to gain full control over the car`s onboard computer.
PCA Cyber Security pointed out that while this specific exploit didn`t provide the capability to steal the car outright (partly due to a lack of camera access for navigating without a driver), the ability to access the onboard computer enables eavesdropping on occupants. The researchers also stressed that a significant number of vulnerabilities exist across various models of modern vehicles.
They concluded by stating that they contacted Nissan regarding the discovered issue, and the automaker has since addressed the vulnerability and released a fix.
In a related development mentioned for context, in May 2024, specialists from the Chinese security company GoGoByte claimed they could steal any new Tesla electric car in a matter of seconds.
