WTF?! When you think of hacking, bad actors typing away furiously on their rigs trying to steal corporate data or breach government systems likely come to mind. But it doesn't always have to be so elaborate. A team of researchers has uncovered a very different cybersecurity vulnerability, one that allows bad actors to basically hack high-end bicycles. Specifically, their wireless gear-shifting systems.
Wireless gear-shifting systems work by deploying wireless links between the gear shifters controlled by the riders and the device that moves chains between gears on the bike, called a derailleur. The researchers note that wireless technology is not vulnerable to the physical issues that plague mechanical gear-shifting systems utilizing cables. Instead, it's vulnerable to something else entirely.
The computer scientists from UC San Diego and Northeastern University focused their research on components from Shimano, the leading manufacturer of electronic gear-shifting systems for professional-level road bikes.
They found that such wireless implementations contain some critical cybersecurity holes that open the door to disturbing attack scenarios. Attackers could potentially record and retransmit gear-shifting commands, allowing control over a bike's gears without authentication from up to 10 yards away using software-defined radios – no signal boosting required. As long as the components remained paired, captured data could be replayed indefinitely.
Additionally, attackers could easily jam and disable gear shifting on a specific bike without impacting any other nearby riders, creating targeted risks during races. The ANT+ communication protocol that is used also leaked information, allowing real-time monitoring of riders' gearing strategy.
Such attacks during a high-stakes professional race like the Tour de France could potentially cause serious crashes and rider injuries by mis-shifting gears at critical moments. The researchers also pointed to professional cycling's troubled history with performance-enhancing drugs, highlighting how undetectable attacks enabled by these vulnerabilities could similarly undermine the sport's integrity.
"Given these risks, it is essential to adopt an adversary's viewpoint and ensure that this technology can withstand motivated attackers in the highly competitive environment of professional cycling," the researchers noted.
Fortunately, Shimano has been working closely with the research team and has already begun rolling out firmware updates to address the problem. The researchers say they've developed several countermeasures to prevent replay attacks, targeted jamming, and information leaks, which will likely be included in those updates.
Image credit: Haberdoedas, Shimano