Media has a powerful effect on how society interacts with and understands Cybersecurity. These varying ways in which movies and articles talk about aspects of hacking, for example, may misconstrue the actual way in which security events take place or the impact it has on the intended target.

For example, in The Fate of the Furious (2017), hackers took control of vehicles through the infotainment system, allowing them to start the vehicle and drive it remotely. In the movies, the hackers had complete control of the vehicle and while we are not quite at that level of proficiency in the real world, this is based in reality. Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek in 2015 demonstrated they could hack a Jeep Cherokee via its Uconnect system and were able to take control of it from miles away.

The movie portrayed this in a way that made it seem simpler than it is. You would also need satellite imagery or some mechanism through which to watch the vehicle’s movements to move it in the proficient manner the movie displayed.

While we may still be far off from the level of proficiency necessary to make hacking and controlling vehicles remotely worth the effort, vehicles are becoming more connected to network interfaces via technology. This emphasizes the importance of cybersecurity now and in the future. The Movie does a good job of illustrating the risks involved with weak security and unpatched software.

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