Christian P. Koop

As most of you have heard in the news and what seems much more frequently in print and social media, “We live in a changing world.”

Those six words should not only be a painful reminder of the recent terrorist attack in San Bernadino, California, which left 18 dead, but also a reminder of just how much our country and the world have changed and are changing. Unfortunately, physical attacks of the type that occurred in San Bernadino are not our only vulnerabilities. We are also at high risk for cyber attacks through the highly sophisticated vehicles we drive, which are no longer self-contained and are essentially alive and communicate. It is important for fleet managers to know that commercial vehicles and emergency response vehicle fleets are at a greater risk for cyber attacks because of the commonality of vehicle systems and the increased use of telematics. My main objective with this article is to bring more awareness to this subject by defining some basic terms and sharing information on how your vehicles can be maliciously attacked.

I recently attended a meeting with the South Florida Fleet Managers group. The topic was fleet vehicle cyber security for automobiles, buses, trucks, over-the-road trucks, and emergency response vehicles. The founder and organizer of this group is David Motola, a fleet manager from Miami Gardens, Florida. The main objectives for this group were to discuss forefront topics. This past session was no different. Cyber security for vehicle systems is something everyone is rushing to address-or should be. Motola made two important points: First, PCs have malware detection software installed that can be updated to protect from hacking, but most vehicles do not. Second, common hackers can take control of your vehicle from anywhere, yet they don’t even know how to change their own oil!

The Lingo

Let me define some important basic terminology that all concerned with this issue should be familiar with.

Firmware is a set of instructions programmed into a hardware device that essentially provides the basic necessary instructions for how a device communicates with other computer hardware. It is generally stored in a device’s flash read-only memory (ROM). ROM can be erased and rewritten because it is a type of flash memory.

Controller area network, also referred to as CAN bus, is a vehicle network standard that is designed to allow microcontrollers and other electronic control devices to communicate between each other without having a host or central computer. It was originally designed for use in automobiles as an electronic-coded-message-based protocol for use with multiplex wiring. However, it now can be found in many other contexts including trucks, buses, and heavy equipment. This includes emergency response vehicles.

Telematics is sending, receiving, and storing information (data) via wireless communication from vehicle networks whereby the control of an object can be remotely affected. For example, most reading this are probably familiar with OnStar, a General Motors (GM) subsidiary that offers a service where it is connected to customer vehicles through the global positioning system (GPS) and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver technology. In the event of an emergency, the driver can immediately communicate with OnStar to request emergency services, such as the police or fire and rescue, and provide them with an exact location. It can also unlock your vehicle if you leave your keys inside and access a host