Bug bounties reveal urgency of prioritising vehicle security

A robust approach to cyber security is essential for protecting businesses from malicious actors. Bug bounty programmes, an incentive system wherein security researchers receive financial rewards and recognition for reporting new exploits, is one method for identifying potential threats. Tesla is one of the more prominent supporters: in 2019, it awarded two freelance hackers US$375,000 and a Model 3 for demonstrating a just-in-time bug in the vehicle’s web browser that enabled access to the infotainment system. Exploiting this vulnerability allowed them to write a message on the dashboard display.