Summary

  • According to a report in The Guardian, Italian police are investigating a major fire at a Rome Tesla dealership that destroyed 17 cars.
  • It is suspected the fire, which occurred last month, may have been the result of a cyber attack, which if confirmed, would mark the first time Tesla vehicles have been targeted by cyber criminals.
  • Tesla has become increasingly targeted by hackers in recent years.
  • Just this month a hacking collective called “Saudisecurity1” claimed responsibility for hacking the Strava fitness app, which is closely linked to Tesla, as well as over a billion user accounts.
  • The group has good reason to target Tesla, as the company has been increasingly focused on cyber security for its vehicles.
  • Late last year Tesla rolled out a new cyber security centre in Israel to protect its vehicles from ever-growing threats.
  • Vehicle hacking is becoming an increasing risk, with hackers being able to take control of a vehicle or access private data stored within a car.
  • This makes organisations such as Tesla, with a focus on connectivity and autonomous driving, a primary target for hackers going forward.

By Rhiannon Williams

Original Article