IHS Automotive has been tracking the growing threat of car hacking as connected cars become the norm. It is not easy, but it is possible to wirelessly take control of connected car systems and core control systems as shown in the recent hacking attacks on the Chrysler Jeep by two researchers as described in a Wired article.

According to the report, two researchers were able to hack the Chrysler Uconnect system via a Sprint Smartphone and find the IP address of many Chrysler vehicles. Then they were able to use their previous research on CAN-bus protocols and additional research on how the Chrysler Uconnect telematics system works to hack into the infotainment systems and into the core Jeep control systems such as the brakes and steering.

What is the impact of the hack?

This means that they could remotely control most of the Jeep driving functions and infotainment functions. They were able to do this due to an apparent flaw in the Uconnect system, which Chrysler has already corrected in a new software version.

Since Chrysler does not have remote software updates yet, it will take time for all the owners to get this software updated via dealer visits or a USB download and Uconnect update by the car owner. The details of the hacking attacks are not available as the researcher has not released details—except to Chrysler.

More information will be available at a conference next month, but the researchers will not release all the software they have developed. Reports indicate that Chrysler has asked the researcher to release less information than planned at next month’s conference.

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The first question is what does this mean for Chrysler Uconnect car owners?

Fortunately, it very unlikely that these vehicles will be attacked by other hackers.

The reason for this is that the research spent a large amount of effort (probably a few man-years) to acquire the knowledge to this. Hence, other hackers would need to spend a lot of time to get equivalent expertise. But the Chrysler owners should get the software update as soon as possible—just in case.