Tesla Jailbreak: The Dark Side of In-Car Technology

Tesla Cars Vulnerable to Irreversible Jailbreak: Implications and Solutions

Introduction

A team of academic researchers has discovered a vulnerability in Tesla‘s onboard infotainment systems that allows for a near irreversible jailbreak. This jailbreak can unlock various paid in-car features for free, including improved bandwidth, faster acceleration, and heated seats. The researchers also found that the vulnerability allows for access to Tesla‘s internal network, enabling more advanced modifications such as breaking geolocation restrictions and migrating a Tesla‘s user profile to another vehicle.

The Vulnerability

The researchers from the Technical University Berlin and independent researcher Oleg Drokin identified a known voltage glitching attack that allows for physical access to the car’s Infotainment and Connectivity ECU (ICE) board. This attack subverts the AMD Secure Processor (ASP), which serves as the root of trust for Tesla‘s infotainment system. With this attack, the researchers were able to gain root access and run arbitrary software on the infotainment system. The gained root permissions can survive reboots and updates, making it difficult to mitigate the vulnerability without CPU upgrades.

Consequences and Benefits

The jailbreaking of Tesla cars can have both positive and negative implications. On the positive side, owners can unlock paid features for free, bypass geolocation restrictions, and migrate their user profile to another vehicle. This opens up possibilities for customization and flexibility for Tesla owners. Additionally, the researchers found that Tesla has better physical security measures compared to other automakers, which is commendable.

However, there are potential malicious uses of this vulnerability. Given prolonged physical access to a targeted car, a cyberattacker could decrypt the car’s onboard storage and access private user data, including phonebook and calendar entries. The attacker could also hijack a Tesla customer’s profile and features.

Recommendations

As this vulnerability requires physical access to the car’s ICE board, the immediate threat to the general public is relatively low. However, Tesla should take this research seriously and work on mitigating the vulnerability through CPU upgrades or other means. In the meantime, Tesla owners should remain vigilant and take precautions to protect their vehicles.

Protecting Your Tesla

• Physical Security: To protect against the voltage glitching attack, Tesla owners should be mindful of who has physical access to their vehicles. Keep your car locked when unattended and park it in secure locations.
• Software Updates: Tesla frequently releases software updates to improve security and add new features. Ensure that your car’s software is always up to date to benefit from the latest security enhancements.
• Privacy Settings: Regularly review and adjust privacy settings on your Tesla‘s infotainment system. Limit the sharing of personal data and be cautious about connecting to unknown networks.
• Monitor Suspicious Activity: Keep an eye out for any unusual behavior or modifications made to your Tesla‘s infotainment system. If you notice anything suspicious, contact Tesla‘s customer support or visit an authorized service center.

Conclusion

While the Tesla jailbreaking vulnerability discovered by the academic researchers raises concerns about the security of in-car infotainment systems, the immediate risk to the general public is currently low due to the physical access required. Tesla should address this vulnerability through hardware or software upgrades to safeguard against potential malicious use. In the meantime, Tesla owners should remain cautious and proactive in protecting their vehicles by following the recommended security measures outlined above.