How electric cars could be used against UK in major threat to national security

A leading security expert has warned about how vulnerable electric cars could be to cyber attacks (stock) (Image: Getty)

A leading security expert has warned how electric cars could be hacked and pose a threat to both drivers and national security

Director of Information Security and Engagement at the National Cybersecurity Alliance Cliff Steinhauer revealed there were several risks associated with the growing number of electric cars.

Mr Steinhauer claimed it was possible for the software of some vehicles to be infiltrated and for the entire car to be taken over remotely. He emphasised the need for researchers and manufacturers to remain aware of potential vulnerabilities.

In recent years a growing number of motorists have been switching to electric cars from around the world including China whose cars are becoming more attractive because of their range and affordable prices.

Mr Steinhauer said it was important for manufacturers to be aware of potential vulnerabilities (Image: Getty)

Speaking to the Sun, Mr Steinhauer warned: “We have seen in research activities that software is able to completely take over a vehicle and control different functions of the vehicle, so it's certainly a possibility that this could happen.

“We have to keep testing to stay on top of these potential vulnerabilities, and continue to fix them, in advance of them being rolled out en masse. I have seen research reports of software taking over all of the functionalities of the vehicle, including braking, accelerating, steering and navigation - so the threat exists.”

Mr Steinhauer isn’t the first expert to express concerns about the potential security threat hackers pose to electric cars in the UK.

Last month, security author Edward Lucas warned about the security threat caused by the new wave of cheap Chinese electric cars and how they could act as “mobile surveillance devices”.

Electric cars are now big business in places like China which is exporting them to the UK and Europe (Image: Getty)

Writing for Mail+, Mr Lucas said: “The truth is that, when it comes to Chinese EVs, our decision-makers are still asleep at the wheel. This is a recipe for mayhem. Hackers demonstrated years ago how easy it was to remotely disable a single vehicle.

"With the full weight of a state cyber-warfare agency behind it, such attacks would be far more devastating and widespread.”

Mr Lucas’ fears were echoed by a report published by the founder of New Kite Data Labs Christopher Balding last year. Mr Balding said it was possible for some systems in these cars, including the brakes, to be overridden.

In his report, he said: “Security researchers for some time noted the risks of hacking to key components of electrical vehicles. This is slightly different such that malware in a component provides not just access to the system and operational data, but control over a specific system. This would mean control over the braking system or on-board microphone.”

Speaking to the Telegraph about the matter, Mr Balding claimed that this technology could allow officials to hear what’s going on inside a car.

He said: “Government-linked groups would be able to listen into a car, or compromise the braking system, as they would have the component car code from the manufacturer and access through pre-known access points.”

However, when the report was published last year, Mr Balding clarified that at the time he had not seen any evidence that Chinese authorities had taken control of an electric car in China or abroad.