Welcome to Nosy Eye. We got ya covered in all things privacy. Let’s get into it.

Here’s what we got for you:

• Your Car’s Tech Stack and Privacy

• Action Tip of the Day

From GPS tracking to onboard cameras and sensors, cars today are a far cry from Toretto’s 1970 Charger.

They’re capable of collecting and transmitting vast amounts of your personal data. Going vroom vroom is just the tip of the iceberg.

What Data Does Your Car Collect?

Modern cars are equipped with over 3,000 sensors and data collection tools.

You may be tempted to remove these sensors, but be sure to understand the risks of what you’re about to attempt. Or you could just take it to a professional.

Anyways, here’s what those sensors and tools include:

• GPS Tracking used to determine the car's location and track its movements. Lower end, older models don’t have the tracking technology.

• Onboard Computer that can store data about the car's performance, including speed, acceleration, and braking patterns.

• Cameras to capture images and video both inside and outside the car.

• Infotainment Systems that collect data about your music preferences, phone contacts, and even browsing history.

What Are the Implications?

Location Tracking info can be used to monitor your activities and even track your movements in real-time.

Surveillance. The cameras inside and outside the car capture images and video of you and other passengers. And with facial recognition technology in full force today, they can even be used to identify individuals and track their movements.

Data Breaches: Your car stores crazy amounts of data, including contact info, browsing history, and other sensitive information. If this data is compromised in a breach, it could be used for identity theft or other nefarious purposes.

What You Can Do About It

Don’t give away info. If your car doesn't have a way to transmit information, don't give it a way to do so. Avoid plugging your cell phone into it whenever possible.

When using infotainment systems or connecting your Bluetooth, be aware that your data is being shared.

Consider disabling features that you don't need or that may be collecting more data than you're comfortable with.

Use privacy screens to prevent others from seeing your data.

Use a VPN to encrypt your internet traffic flowing from your phone and other devices to protect your data from being intercepted by third parties.

Disable location services or use a GPS jammer to prevent your car's GPS signal from being detected.

Be mindful of who you share your data with. You should be able to interact with many of the features without using an app on your phone.

If you're using an app or service that collects data about your car, be aware of who gets access to it.

Read the privacy policies carefully and consider opting out of them if you're not comfortable with the terms.

The implications played out in the wild

The privacy implications of car technology have already been seen in several high-profile cases. Here are a couple to jog your memory.

The Jeep Cherokee Hack

In 2015, security researchers were able to remotely hack into a Jeep Cherokee and take control of the car's systems, including the brakes and steering.

The California Consumer Privacy Act

In 2020, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) went into effect, requiring car manufacturers to provide you with greater transparency and control over your personal data collected by their cars.

The law requires car manufacturers to provide you with a notice about the data collected and how it will be used, as well as giving you the right to opt-out of data sharing.

Action Tip of the Day

Update your car’s software. You’ll have to check out the manual for this one. Gasp…

Car manufacturers often release software updates that include security patches and bug fixes to address known vulnerabilities in their systems.

Regularly updating your vehicle’s software will generally help with protecting it against threats and privacy breaches.

That’s all we have for you today. Au revoir, for now.

DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is strictly educational. Please do not use easily identifiable data online, as you do not know who is going to give it away