Re: 03 Silverado hacking

Door locks and powered windows controled by computer??? Yeah right :-) Controled by your finger it is :-)

Maybe, MAYBE, on some vehicles equipped with memories for different drivers you will have the powered mirrors controled by some kind of memory device... but I'm not sure it can be called a computer ;-)

Where YOU been, slick? GM functions such as lights, indicators, door lock, windows, seat memory, mirror postions have been increasingly controlled by the body computer starting in 1999. Initially, those functions had to be added or changed by having the computer reprogrammed at the dealer and there have been many threads here over those years about people complaining how much dealers charged for something as simple as changing the speed at which the doors locked. Current models have allowed much more programmability by the owner.

HMc

Just make sure you never leave your keys on the seat by mistake.

The power locks won't activate now on my '03 GMC if the key is in the ignition (anti-lockout protection) but that's about it.

If you leave them on the seat or center console, you're SOL.

Tony

now call me paranoid, but I would NEVER buy a vehicle that someone else can unlock by remote. Onstar has waaayy too many "big brother" aspects for me.

-Bret

Amen to that one! If you buy a vehicle that "can have" Onstar, do you get a choice about whether or not it is on that vehicle? That is to say, is Onstar optional?

Lack of Onstar is part of the reason I chose an S-10 over a full size truck. It may be invalueable to have Onstar if you lock your keys out, but the control they can exercise over a vehicle gives me (excuse the pun) the willies.

William

I'm not paranoid about it or anything, but I do think that money can play a big part in things. I'm sure nobody including the people at Onstar ever know where all the vehicles are exactly (after all, that is a LOT of vehicles to keep track of!) but I wouldn't be surprised if details about vehicles or their approximate locations was compiled in aggregate, supposedly anonymous form and possibly even sold for marketing purposes.

William

here's a better example... download ad aware and look at the list of people compiling data on you everytime you connect to the internet. If you've got kazaa, you've got spyware called cydoor and BDE projector.

-Bret

Heh...you guys, with your computers plugged into the internet, surfing and posting to newgroups, your computer sending all kinds of data about your computer use to Microsoft and god knows what other organizations. Census takers, cell phone companies state, local and federal record keeping, credit card companies, banks, real estate agencies.....

And you are worried about some guy in GM's ONSTAR center? LOL...

Sounds like *selective* paranoia to me...

HMc

Yea, anyone carry a cell phone? :)

My LG4400 has a beacon mode and emergency only beacon mode so they can find you if you dial 911.

\Trust me Im thinking. The XM would still need some processing power for the decoder. Maybe add an XBOX to the truck :)

I don't know about the XBox thing, but I was considering using one of the Via micro ATX boards in my old 96 Silverado. Custom MP3 player/FM radio, alarm, light, window and lock controller, and possibly even a GPS enabled maping device. It would've been easy with that truck, but this new one is so intergrated, I can't even install an aftermarket sterio and not loose some of the functionality of the Driver Control Center, much less a custom system as above.

After the newness wears off, I may try to decode some of GM's data bus and try the MP3 th> \Trust me Im thinking. The XM would still need some processing power

Point taken. But let me issue you this friendly challenge....you come up with as many instances of vehicle theft from ONSTAR-related incidents as you can, and I will inundate you with instances of credit card or identity theft from computer security problems. My point is that sitting there at your computer connected to the internet, you have exposed yourself to a VASTLY greater overall security risk with FAR worse consequences than ONSTAR ever could.

Spyware is nothing, and you surely don't think your computer is secure just because you run Ad-Aware every time you start getting annoyed by pop-ups. Check out Windows Update on your computer and find out how many security flaws Microsoft has had to address in their various OS's and in Internet Exploder over the last 6 months. If you haven't run Windows Update in the last couple of weeks, I'd bet you'll find a Windows or IE security update. If you run a Mac, or Linux, you are more secure from direct hacking, but the online stores you visit aren't.

I'm not a huge ONSTAR fan. I've never paid for their premium service, and IMHO it's doubtful that the basic annual resubscription fee is worth what you get. However, security *from* ONSTAR is not something I drive down the road worrying about. Unless you can demonstrate to me that ONSTAR has

*caused* practical, documented vehicle security problems, I'm going to save my paranoia for the waitresses I hand my credit card to, or my online shopping activities, or Bill Gates.

HMc

AdAware does a lot more than kill pop-ups.....

Sounds cool, but I don't have Onstar, nore do I care to spend $10/month for radio. That's why I want a custom mp3 player in my vehicle. I can load my entire music collection (over 200 cd's and growing) and listen to what _I_ want. XM radio may be commercial free now, but so was cable when it first started.

I don't remember signing any EULA when I bought my truck and there is no software license I can find in the manual. Even with the DMCA, without a license agreement, there can be no violation.

I agree that Mac or Linux are as hackable as Windows, but what I meant was that the liklihood of getting your Mac hacked is lower than for a Windows machine simply because the prevalance of Windows implies the prevalance of Windows hackers.

HMc

I have to disagree on this one. You most cirtenly are more secure from "direct hacking" with Linux (not sure about OS-X). Linux, by default, does not allow for root access over anything other than local terminal. Without root access, your prety much limited as to what you can do to the system. Windows, on the other hand, defaults to allow everyone full access to the system from anywhere. It may be true that a default Linux distribution install may have some insecure openings, but the kernel itself is locked down pretty tight and the system as a whole can be locked farely easaly. Windows, even with the weely patches, is unsecurable without a good firewall in front of it. I'll not get into what can be done to an XP system.

Bill..

I have an extended cab, so don't know about the back windows in a crewcab, but the passenger window does auto down feature now. Hard to get used to (I've only had it a week), I usually like the windows about halfway down.

The auto lights now are fully auto. Somewhat programmable via the drivers > Its not what you want, but its a start. Mine is a 99 Z71. I hated my auto

Actually Bill, according to the nix guru's I have talked to, Linux can be breached by a savvy hacker as easily as any other OS. It just isn't. We will have to agree to disagree on this one. Regards, JR