BMW fixes security flaw that exposed 2.2M cars to break-ins

BMW

German automaker BMW says it has fixed a security flaw that made 2.2 million of its vehicles vulnerable to break-ins.

The company says the problem affected BMW, Mini and Rolls Royce models equipped with its ConnectedDrive technology, which allows drivers to access certain car functions with a smartphone.

German automobile club ADAC, which discovered the flaw last summer, says could have used a fake cellphone base station to intercept from the car and lower the windows or open the doors. There are no reports such a break-in ever took place.

BMW spokeswoman Silke Brigl said Friday that hackers wouldn't have been able to start or stop the engine.

Brigl said the problem has been fixed with an automatic update and customers don't need to take any action.

© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Citation: BMW fixes security flaw that exposed 2.2M cars to break-ins (2015, January 30) retrieved 29 March 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2015-01-bmw-flaw-exposed-22m-cars.html
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