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Cars unaffected by viruses

Date: May 13, 2005
Source: Computer Crime Research Center
By: CCRC staff

The possibility of a mobile virus infecting a car's communications system conjures up images of zombie vehicles travelling driverless around the streets, but Finnish online security firm, F-Secure, have shown that the possibility is remote.

In a test described as "one of our more interesting virus tests in quite a while," anti-virus firm F-Secure failed to infect a Toyota Prius with a range of Bluetooth viruses that included multiple variants of Cabir.

The tests follow on from rumours that certain models of Lexus Landrcruisers were at risk of being infected by viruses, rumours denied by carmaker Toyota. The tests, where the F-Secure team attempted to infect the Prius with Cabir.B and Cabir.H through phones and laptops, backed this up with the car refusing to accept anything other than a vCard contact record.

The test was carried out after there were rumours that some models of Lexus Landcruiser, particularly the LX470 and LS430, were vulnerable Bluetooth viruses.

Toyota made an announcement that it was impossible to infect its cars because it lacked a Symbian operating system that the viruses liked to eat.

Instead of testing the Lexus, for some reason F-Secure tested the Prius with a different number of mobile phone virus attacks. The only problem the car had was its battery was worn down because of the testing.


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2005-09-17 16:54:38 - Your site is realy very interesting. Gaane
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