Double Tap at the Blackbox - Hacking a Car Remotely Twice with MiTM

Explore an affordable and practical blackbox testing approach to automotive security research in this 30-minute conference talk from Black Hat. Learn how security researchers overcame the challenges of limited access to vehicle components and the high costs of traditional hardware-based testing methods. Discover how researchers tracked the security evolution of a major Chinese car manufacturer over three years, observing their response to new regulations like R155 and ISO 21434. Examine two significant Man-in-the-Middle vulnerabilities identified through this research methodology, both enabling remote vehicle control with one providing complete access to the entertainment system. Understand the effectiveness of current security mitigations and mechanisms being implemented by manufacturers, and gain insights into practical vulnerability research techniques that don't require vehicle ownership or expensive hardware dissection. The presentation demonstrates how blackbox testing can serve as a viable alternative for automotive security assessment while highlighting the ongoing security challenges in modern connected vehicles.