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By: FEDweek StaffThe Navy CIO has warned of data security risks of using rental cars, stressing that the cars can capture information from users’ smartphones and also can track where they went. “Connecting your smart phone to your rental car, either via Bluetooth or USB port to play music, make a phone call or charge the battery, etcetera, may result in the download and retention of your PII [personally identifiable information].
The car’s entertainment system can store the contents of your smartphone including your cellphone number and location data. It may also collect and store call logs, contacts you dialed and text messages,” a posting said. “This information, your PII, is sitting in the rental car’s memory waiting for someone to tap into it; the next renter, a hacker, or a less than scrupulous rental car employee.”
An online posting included these tips:
• “A USB connection may transfer data automatically, use a cigarette lighter adapter instead to power and charge devices.
• “If your rental car is equipped, grant access to just the information you want to reveal by using the rental car’s permission screen.
• “Delete your PII from the car’s system. There should be an option to remove your phone from the list of paired devices, which should wipe call logs and remove contacts.
• “Remember to erase your location history from the car’s navigation system by entering the settings and clearing your driving record.
• “Your rental car may have an option to clear all user data or do a factory reset. Talk to a staff member or check online before you drive away in your rental, you may forget or be in a hurry at the end of your trip.”
