• There has been a recent cluster of spammers accessing BARFer accounts and posting spam. To safeguard your account, please consider changing your password. It would be even better to take the additional step of enabling 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) on your BARF account. Read more here.

Hacking A Motorcycle

chrysaetos

chrysaetos

New member
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Location
San Jose
Moto(s)
streetfighters
I have heard of cars getting hacked (https://www.wired.com/2015/07/hackers-remotely-kill-jeep-highway/), and wonder what kind of vulnerabilities modern motorcycles have as electronic rider aids become increasingly prevalent. It sounds like cars are hacked through their infotainment systems, which bikes don't really have to the same degree, as far as I know. No wi-fi connectivity or stuff of that sort, which seems to be the key in getting access.

Additionally, it doesn't seem like hacking into a bike at this point would allow critical riding functions like the engine, transmission, brakes, and throttle to be manipulated. Any tech gurus here have some more insight on this?
 
chrysaetos said:
I have heard of cars getting hacked (https://www.wired.com/2015/07/hackers-remotely-kill-jeep-highway/), and wonder what kind of vulnerabilities modern motorcycles have as electronic rider aids become increasingly prevalent. It sounds like cars are hacked through their infotainment systems, which bikes don't really have to the same degree, as far as I know. No wi-fi connectivity or stuff of that sort, which seems to be the key in getting access.

Additionally, it doesn't seem like hacking into a bike at this point would allow critical riding functions like the engine, transmission, brakes, and throttle to be manipulated. Any tech gurus here have some more insight on this?
Click to expand...

Out of curiosity what makes you think this? If the bike is EFI isn't there a module that could be hacked remotely if access is available?
 
Many modern bikes are drive by wire so I don't see why the engine (including throttle) couldn't be hacked.

Transmission is generally all mechanical so it should be ok.

If the bike has ABS it might be able to keep the brakes from engaging but I doubt it could engage them.

I don't think traction control on bikes generally uses the brakes either.
 
You would have to have some type of wireless interface in order to hack a motorcycle. Do any motorcycles have a wireless interface yet?
 
dravnx said:
You would have to have some type of wireless interface in order to hack a motorcycle. Do any motorcycles have a wireless interface yet?
Click to expand...

There are a few bikes out there with Bluetooth connectivity for music streaming. I have no clue what that looks like, but it's theoretically possibly to get into the system that way.

I also remember hearing about Ducati or BMW having a phone home system for when you crash. That talks to some aspect of the bike, likely the IMU, which has a lot of control over the bike.

There's also companines that are starting to develop apps so you can change settings and mappings, I believe one of the new Japanese dirt bikes has it currently, Yamaha I think.
 
dravnx said:
You would have to have some type of wireless interface in order to hack a motorcycle. Do any motorcycles have a wireless interface yet?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think this is the key point. My bike has bluetooth, but the range is limited to about 300 feet if that's a hacker's only way in. The serious threat in cars comes from the fact that many are cell network enabled, allowing them to be hacked from pretty much anywhere in the country. Bikes aren't there yet, so I guess we're relatively safe for now.
 
Last edited:
Bandit 1200 - no EFI, no traction control, no ABS, no problem :)
 
To make a right turn, tap on the CMD key to the right of the spacebar...

428930d1430355877-any-way-to-get-a-qwerty-keyboard-layout-img_6327.jpg
 
Junkie said:
Many modern bikes are drive by wire so I don't see why the engine (including throttle) couldn't be hacked.

Transmission is generally all mechanical so it should be ok.

If the bike has ABS it might be able to keep the brakes from engaging but I doubt it could engage them.

I don't think traction control on bikes generally uses the brakes either.
Click to expand...

Traction control uses the ABS wheel speed sensing system.
 
chrysaetos said:
I have heard of cars getting hacked (https://www.wired.com/2015/07/hackers-remotely-kill-jeep-highway/), and wonder what kind of vulnerabilities modern motorcycles have as electronic rider aids become increasingly prevalent. It sounds like cars are hacked through their infotainment systems, which bikes don't really have to the same degree, as far as I know. No wi-fi connectivity or stuff of that sort, which seems to be the key in getting access.

Additionally, it doesn't seem like hacking into a bike at this point would allow critical riding functions like the engine, transmission, brakes, and throttle to be manipulated. Any tech gurus here have some more insight on this?
Click to expand...

From my (limited) understanding of how cars were able to be "hacked" it was via exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities that existed in the cars OTA software update capabilities. Most new cars come with some form of a baked in OS which runs the entertainment systems as well as most of the other electronics related functions on the car.

So I would imagine that as long as your bike doesn't have wifi/bluetooth/3g capabilities you would be safe barring the hacker having physical access to the bike itself.

That being said I wouldn't be surprised if Motorcycle manufacturers have already started installing these systems as it makes rolling out software updates and patches that much easier and means they dont have to wait for the bike to come in for servicing to fix something critical.
 
Last edited:
RightCoastBias said:
There are a few bikes out there with Bluetooth connectivity for music streaming. I have no clue what that looks like, but it's theoretically possibly to get into the system that way.
Click to expand...

I could never get the Bluetooth connectivity in my Ducati Multistrada 1200S to work for phone calls or music so good luck using that to hack the ECU :laughing
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top