It's really quite humorous. What security-minded country would buy foreign-made, data-equipped cars for its military personnel? But then, how are you going to avoid that vulnerability if your country doesn't manufacture the vehicles - and every electronic component in it - on its own soil? Perhaps we'll see security services revert to steam-driven motorcars.
The same technological capabilities that security services use to spy on their own citizens turns out to be a window into their own operations. There's poetic justice in that.
Israel doesn’t scrap 700 operational vehicles on speculation. That only happens after confidence exists that data left the network and mapped back to real-world military movement or facilities. And the key detail here is that their cyber teams couldn’t isolate or harden the pathways, meaning the telemetry is baked into firmware, chipset, and back-end architecture.
The uncomfortable truth is this:
The same vulnerability exists in nearly all connected vehicles, Chinese or not. The global auto market quietly became a distributed ISR system.
Removing the easiest adversarial access point is step one.
Building sovereign digital mobility infrastructure is step two.
No Western state is prepared for step two yet.
Also, Stephen, I’ve completed an extensive 7-part series examining the EV sector:
WHAT THE EV, you will find its ram packed and might hold some gems for you.
the supply chains, the embedded data economy, and the emerging resource + telemetry wars driving it. If helpful, I can link that work here for reference.
All modern cars are spyware. Even when you buy the car you never really own it (like most things these days). Before you know it they turn of seat heating or the radio and you need a subscription.
I'm driving a Toyota Corolla from 2006. In my small town (less 10.000 people) I know at least 4 drivers with the same car. I'm going keep fixing it until I'm planning to die in 40 years. It's just a great car that keeps going.
For fucks sake, they sell those cars for $25000!? You can't even get a Toyota Yaris or Opel Corsa for that price in Europe. Living in the EU is like in an Israeli prison.
What about the recent Theodor Herzl Zionist Genocidists, Assassins, Warmongers, Sodomists, Torturers, Rapists, bragging that have inculcated devices all across the globe with the means to destroy, empty threat, bragging, skiting or reality, after the pagers I think not, and you worry about f..king China.. wake up, the real enemy is under your nose. Guess the aforementioned Ashkenazi detritus don’t like it when when the tables are turned, played as they are at what they thought was their domain… I trust China more than I can trust your greatest corrupters and destroyers of a once promising Republic…oops ally. JUST saying .. Kia Kaha Stay Strong From New Zealand
"It has all the connectivity that drivers and passengers expect today, including GPS, WIFI, 4G connectivity, Apple and Android support and other convenience electronic features "
I expect nothing of the sort, and don't own a car with these features. In fact, it has surprised me how many people I know personally are putting money into old vehicles just to avoid such supposed conveniences.
The Toyota mention here highlights a broader industry problem that goes beyond Chinese manufacturers. Even the most established automakers have prioritized conveinence features over security architecture, which creates vulnerabilities for any sophisticated actor. Toyota's approach to connected vehicles has been relatively conservative compared to Tesla or newer EV makers, but as you point out, that bar is still dangerously low. The firmware and chipset vulnerabilities are particularly concerning because they can't be easily patched without fundamental redesign.
Indeed, it is hard to come up with a more stupid and implausible justification for the expenses incurred for the "needs" of the Israeli generals, not to mention the "visualization" of the problem! Given Israel's meticulous approach to security, to say the least, and its undeniable expertise in developing effective spy software (Stuxnet?!), it is difficult to believe in the "helplessness" of their cyber specialists in neutralizing Chinese "Trojan horses"! The very idea of using Chinese vehicles in the armed forces raises a number of questions for all parties involved in this "deal"...
Hey Stephen, How is Prokrovsk holding these days?Last time you mentioned there was barely any progress....
But Zelensky and Syrsky and ISW agree, so they must all be right 🤣
It's really quite humorous. What security-minded country would buy foreign-made, data-equipped cars for its military personnel? But then, how are you going to avoid that vulnerability if your country doesn't manufacture the vehicles - and every electronic component in it - on its own soil? Perhaps we'll see security services revert to steam-driven motorcars.
The same technological capabilities that security services use to spy on their own citizens turns out to be a window into their own operations. There's poetic justice in that.
great read thanks
Israel doesn’t scrap 700 operational vehicles on speculation. That only happens after confidence exists that data left the network and mapped back to real-world military movement or facilities. And the key detail here is that their cyber teams couldn’t isolate or harden the pathways, meaning the telemetry is baked into firmware, chipset, and back-end architecture.
The uncomfortable truth is this:
The same vulnerability exists in nearly all connected vehicles, Chinese or not. The global auto market quietly became a distributed ISR system.
Removing the easiest adversarial access point is step one.
Building sovereign digital mobility infrastructure is step two.
No Western state is prepared for step two yet.
Also, Stephen, I’ve completed an extensive 7-part series examining the EV sector:
WHAT THE EV, you will find its ram packed and might hold some gems for you.
the supply chains, the embedded data economy, and the emerging resource + telemetry wars driving it. If helpful, I can link that work here for reference.
what they did for pagers they can do for automobiles. already explosives in auto passenger compartments: airbags.
Same when using Waze that was developed by an Israeli company which was acquired by Google !
All modern cars are spyware. Even when you buy the car you never really own it (like most things these days). Before you know it they turn of seat heating or the radio and you need a subscription.
I'm driving a Toyota Corolla from 2006. In my small town (less 10.000 people) I know at least 4 drivers with the same car. I'm going keep fixing it until I'm planning to die in 40 years. It's just a great car that keeps going.
For fucks sake, they sell those cars for $25000!? You can't even get a Toyota Yaris or Opel Corsa for that price in Europe. Living in the EU is like in an Israeli prison.
What about the recent Theodor Herzl Zionist Genocidists, Assassins, Warmongers, Sodomists, Torturers, Rapists, bragging that have inculcated devices all across the globe with the means to destroy, empty threat, bragging, skiting or reality, after the pagers I think not, and you worry about f..king China.. wake up, the real enemy is under your nose. Guess the aforementioned Ashkenazi detritus don’t like it when when the tables are turned, played as they are at what they thought was their domain… I trust China more than I can trust your greatest corrupters and destroyers of a once promising Republic…oops ally. JUST saying .. Kia Kaha Stay Strong From New Zealand
"It has all the connectivity that drivers and passengers expect today, including GPS, WIFI, 4G connectivity, Apple and Android support and other convenience electronic features "
I expect nothing of the sort, and don't own a car with these features. In fact, it has surprised me how many people I know personally are putting money into old vehicles just to avoid such supposed conveniences.
Israelis never were the best or brightest.
The Toyota mention here highlights a broader industry problem that goes beyond Chinese manufacturers. Even the most established automakers have prioritized conveinence features over security architecture, which creates vulnerabilities for any sophisticated actor. Toyota's approach to connected vehicles has been relatively conservative compared to Tesla or newer EV makers, but as you point out, that bar is still dangerously low. The firmware and chipset vulnerabilities are particularly concerning because they can't be easily patched without fundamental redesign.
Indeed, it is hard to come up with a more stupid and implausible justification for the expenses incurred for the "needs" of the Israeli generals, not to mention the "visualization" of the problem! Given Israel's meticulous approach to security, to say the least, and its undeniable expertise in developing effective spy software (Stuxnet?!), it is difficult to believe in the "helplessness" of their cyber specialists in neutralizing Chinese "Trojan horses"! The very idea of using Chinese vehicles in the armed forces raises a number of questions for all parties involved in this "deal"...
Thanks for your great work!
We've shared this link on 'The Stacks'
https://askeptic.substack.com/p/the-stacks
Yellow Peril #66...
Be VERY worried!