Beyond Toyota: Ford Drives to Car Hacking Prevention Measures

Ford Motor this year will debut vehicles with built-in WiFi — along with enhanced security features to prevent data breaches via its new cars, according to a report from Dark Reading. Ford has offered the so-called Sync technology service it co-developed with Microsoft in most of its Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles since 2008. The technology lets drivers run their Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital media players via their vehicles and use voice commands to operate them, for instance. The automaker said March 8 that the second generation of its Sync technology — due out later this year and to include a full Windows CE operating system with a new driver interface called MyFordTouch — will come with a built-in browser and secured WiFi access. The WiFi will be broadcast via Sync using a USB-based modem, and Ford has updated its on-board firewalls to protect both the WiFi network as well as the vehicle’s operations. The WiFi network is set by default to WiFi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) encryption for secured access to the wireless network. It also will provide anti-malware protection.

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