Volkswagen car-location data-exposure incident: Difference between revisions

|date=January 2024

 

In 2024, Volkswagen experienced a data security incident involving customer vehicle information stored on Amazon Web Services (AWS). The incident occurred when Volkswagen's implementation of [[CARIAD]], a system used for storing terabytes of customer data, was discovered to have publicly accessible storage instances due to a misconfiguration<ref name=":0">[https://cybersecuritynews.com/volkswagen-data-breach/]"Volkswagen Data Breach: 800,000 Electric Car Owners’ Data Leaked" written by Guru Baran (co-founder of Cyber Security News and GBHackers On Security)</ref>.

 

This incident occurred within a broader context of automotive data security concerns. Modern vehicles increasingly collect and transmit various types of data, including location information, driving patterns, and user identification<ref name=":1">[https://www.ftc.gov/policy/advocacy-research/tech-at-ftc/2024/05/cars-consumer-data-unlawful-collection-use]"Cars & Consumer Data: On Unlawful Collection & Use" written in collaboration by the Office of Technology and the Division of Privacy and Identity Protection in the Bureau of Consumer Protection</ref>. The automotive industry has previously faced scrutiny regarding data collection practices, with documented instances of manufacturers collecting and sharing vehicle data with third parties.

== The Incident ==

The core issue stemmed from a misconfiguration in Volkswagen's AWS storage implementation, which left customer data publicly accessible without proper authentication or access restrictions<ref name=":0" />. This exposed sensitive information about vehicle locations and customer identities.

== Industry Context ==

The incident highlighted ongoing discussions about automotive data security and privacy. Similar concerns were raised during the [[2020 Massachusetts Right to Repair ballot initiative]], where major automotive manufacturers including General Motors, Ford, Nissan, Toyota, and Honda invested approximately $25 million in campaign advertising discussing data security implications.

== Regulatory Response ==

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has previously expressed concerns about automotive data security. Following the 2020 Massachusetts Right to Repair initiative, NHTSA official Carrie Gules issued a letter addressing potential security vulnerabilities in vehicle data systems{{Citation needed|date=January 2024|reason=Letter reference needed}}.<!-- I couldn't find any specific letter that was referenced here, although there have been some sources saying that the NHTSA has taken part in Massachusetts Right to Repair regulations. -->

== Broader Implications ==

This incident demonstrates the broader challenges facing the automotive industry regarding data security and privacy. It has been documented that automotive manufacturers regularly collect various types of vehicle data<ref name=":1" />, including:

 

 

* Location information

* Driving patterns

* Vehicle operation metrics

* User behavior data

* Vehicle location data

* Turning radius information

* Stop times

* Drive times

== See Also ==

* [[Automotive data privacy]]

* [[Right to Repair movement]]

* [[Connected car security]]

* [[CARIAD]]

* [[Volkswagen Group]]

* [[2020 Massachusetts Right to Repair ballot initiative]]

== References ==

[[Category:Vehicle privacy incidents]]