this post was submitted on 17 Feb 2026
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Israeli companies have developed and are selling advanced cyber tools that can hack into the tech of your car and use it to collect intelligence on you.

Three years ago, Haaretz revealed the existence of the offensive cyber intelligence company Toka, which was co-founded by former Prime Minister Ehud Barak and a former Israel Defense Forces cyber chief, Brig. Gen. (ret.) Yaron Rosen. The firm specialized in hacking into security cameras, but as documents obtained by Haaretz at the time revealed, Toka also had a product called CARINT that fused camera data with data linked to cars.

At the time, the industry was in its infancy. But industry sources say that Toka has since expanded its offering on cars. It has developed and even sold a product capable of hacking into a specific vehicle's multimedia systems, pinpointing its location and tracking its movements; that is, a specific model by a specific manufacturer. The technology can even remotely access the microphone of the vehicle's hands-free system, allowing eavesdropping on the driver, and even tap into cameras installed on the dashboard or around the car.

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[–] sic_semper_tyrannis@lemmy.today 2 points 7 hours ago (2 children)
[–] monovergent@lemmy.ml 28 points 15 hours ago

Every day I feel more justified in keeping my 1990s car running.

(I'd also like to walk or take public transit, but the infrastructure here is car dependent)

[–] TheImpressiveX@lemmy.today 11 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

This is why you should switch to ebikes if you can, it's better for the environment and they don't track you.

[–] themurphy@lemmy.ml 6 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

If it's those pay-per-ride city bikes, then you bet your ass they are tracked.

[–] HiddenLayer555@lemmy.ml 3 points 6 hours ago

If you use one of those regularly just buy an ebike. Doesn't take that long for the cost of those ultra short term rental apps to exceed buying your own.

[–] stink@lemmygrad.ml 4 points 13 hours ago
[–] Fokeu@lemmy.zip 15 points 15 hours ago

That's why I'm driving in a shitbox! Not that I'm poor...

[–] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 15 points 16 hours ago

My 2007 Tundra? I think not.

[–] its_kim_love@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 16 hours ago

I love my dumb ebike. It's so much easier to maintain and I know what all the technology does.

[–] ohellidk@sh.itjust.works 5 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Now's a good time to remove any sim cards attached to your vehicle/infotainment center. They can track it as easily as cell phones.

[–] some_kind_of_guy@lemmy.world 2 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago)

The sim just holds your subscriber number. I would assume any car with any ability to reach the outside world to be vulnerable, whether it has a sim in it or not, and regardless of whether that connection's with a cellular radio, WiFi, satellite or other

[–] ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.ca 4 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

I wonder if they can hack into millions of cellphones and get them to self detonate using the battery as the explosive material? Is that possible, just wipe out out millions of people just like that? If they could they would.

[–] geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml 9 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (2 children)

Likely not. The beeper terrorist attack had a special explosive planted. Phone batteries can overheat but not explode rapidly.

Now as for car batteries I'm not sure. Maybe they can make them explode or catch fire while locking the car doors.

[–] doodoo_wizard@lemmy.ml 2 points 8 hours ago

You don’t need to worry about that, lead acid is a really stable and safe battery. If you wanna get a handful of extra years out of your batteries, buy the ones with removable caps and keep the water topped up.

If they weren’t so heavy and energy sparse they’d be great for all kinds of stuff.

[–] ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.ca 2 points 14 hours ago

Or it can cause the car to get out of control and crash, assassination perfectly looking like an accident.

[–] sefra1@lemmy.zip 5 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

No, it's not possible, at most they could cause the battery to overheat and either expand or "explode" just enough so you notice it and take the phone out of your pocket without causing any harm.

As for cars, there's potentially enough energy in there for a real explosion.

[–] ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.ca 1 points 14 hours ago

Good thing i have an old car.

[–] Marshezezz@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 15 hours ago

My car is from 2015