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Thieves Use JBL Speakers to Hack Cars with Keyless Entry

Car theft has been an ongoing problem for decades, but now, thieves have found a new way to bypass modern car security systems using hacking tools disguised as JBL portable speakers. This emerging trend highlights the importance of cybersecurity in the automotive industry and the need for manufacturers to improve the security of their products.

According to a recent report by TechSpot, car thieves are using these hacking tools to gain access to vehicles equipped with keyless entry systems. They target the key fob's wireless communication system and use a device disguised as a JBL portable speaker to inject code into the car's system, allowing them to start the engine and drive away.

Kentindell, a cybersecurity researcher, revealed that this technique is possible due to a vulnerability in the communication protocol used by the key fob and the car. The vulnerability allows attackers to inject code into the system and bypass the security measures designed to prevent unauthorized access. Thieves have been using this technique to steal luxury cars such as BMWs and Mercedes, which are often targeted due to their high resale value. The devices used to execute these hacks can be purchased easily online for as little as $30, making it a low-cost and accessible method for criminals.

The use of hacking tools disguised as JBL portable speakers is just one example of the increasing threat of cyber attacks in the automotive industry. As cars become more connected and reliant on technology, the risk of cyber-attacks increases. This is particularly concerning in the case of autonomous vehicles, where a cyber attack could have severe consequences.

To address this issue, car manufacturers need to improve the security of their products and work with cybersecurity experts to identify vulnerabilities in their systems. Additionally, car owners should take steps to protect their vehicles, such as storing key fobs in a secure location and keeping their software and firmware up to date.




Google has been listening to recordings from Home smart speakers


Google has admitted that it listens to voice recordings of users from its AI voice-assistant Google Assistant after its Dutch language recordings were leaked by Belgian public broadcaster VRT. “Most of these recordings were made consciously, but Google also listens to conversations that should never have been recorded, some of which contain sensitive information,” VRT claimed in its report.

Google’s product manager of Search David Monsees admitted, in a company blog post, that its language experts globally listen to these recordings to help Google better understand languages to develop speech technology.

“These language experts review and transcribe a small set of queries to help us better understand those languages. This is a critical part of the process of building speech technology, and is necessary to creating products like the Google Assistant,” the post read.

Google, however, insists that only around 0.2 per cent of all audio snippets are reviewed. The clippings, the company says, are anonymous or not associated with user accounts and do not reveal a user’s personal information. The post adds that no background noise is transcribed by the language experts to maintain privacy.

However, of over 1,000 recordings from Assistant, which is used on smartphones, smart home speakers like Google Home and other products, VRT reported that 153 were recorded accidentally and even revealed some personal information of users such as their address in one case and names of grandchildren of a family in another.

Notably, to activate the Google Assistant, users need to say the phrase “OK, Google” or physically trigger the Assistant button on devices, after which it starts recording. Though rare, Google admits that Assistant may falsely accept recording request sometimes when triggered by interpreting something else as “Ok Google”. According to the post, this tends to happen when there is too much background noise.