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Leith Cars Blog

People Don’t Remember Jeep Getting Hacked Last Year

People get freaked out by the word “hacking” but there’s really nothing to be afraid of.

To help people understand this word and keep them from panicking whenever they see it in a headline or on TV, we thought we’d focus on the Jeep hacking event that happened last year.

As you might recall, WIRED magazine partnered with two technological experts to demonstrate a flaw in a Jeep’s computer system. The two computer fellows messed with the radio and climate controls for a low-risk demonstration of what someone with a laptop and programming skills could do.

Jeep responded by recalling 1.4 million vehicles to fix the software, and the world went right on spinning.

What did we learn?

This example gave many Americans their introduction to what hacking means: pointing out a flaw in a computer’s security. It’s like if someone found a loose board along a huge fence and showed everyone where the board needs a new nail.

It would be wrong to blame the person who found the loose board and identified what needed to be done to fix it. Rather, we should celebrate this person’s contribution to our safety. If they hadn’t shown us where security was lax, we never would have known to fix it.

Making hacking a normal part of life

We all lock our cars when we leave them. If your lock wasn’t functioning properly, however, wouldn’t you want to know it? Or what if the lock worked, but the entire rear windshield was missing? That would let someone in regardless of whether the doors opened.

If we invite people to constantly hack, then we will constantly find security vulnerabilities that can be patched, filled, and repaired. Instead of fearing this new computer word, we can understand it and encourage automakers like Jeep to make our cars safe, secure, and stronger than ever.

Conclusion

Remember that hacking is nothing to fear because it alerts us of vulnerabilities. Do you have something thoughtful, interesting, and helpful to contribute to the discussion? Comment on our Facebook page!