WikiLeaks Warns CIA Trying to Hack Cars for ‘Undetectable Assassinations’

In the explosive “Vault 7” CIA secrets published by WikiLeaks on Tuesday, the organization has warned that the CIA, among a myriad of other intrusive exploits, has been investigating ways to hack and manipulate the control systems of cars and trucks for use in covert operations.

According to WikiLeaks, the CIA’s interest in hacking vehicles is not specified, but could be used in sinister ways, including assassinations.

"As of October 2014 the CIA was also looking at infecting the vehicle control systems used by modern cars and trucks," WikiLeaks said in a statement. "The purpose of such control is not specified, but it would permit the CIA to engage in nearly undetectable assassinations."

Many current vehicles are now mainly controlled by computer systems — including brake control, air bags, acceleration, steering, door locks, and other vital systems.

In 2014, hackers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek using their laptops while in the car, took over a Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by a reporter for Wired, as they were traveling on the highway. The demonstration was shocking, and lead to the recall of 1.4 million vehicles. The previous year, hackers compromised a Ford Escape and a Toyota Prius, while sitting in the backseat.

The vehicle hacking reports were contained in the first batch of CIA leaks, titled “Year Zero.” Wikileaks published 8,761 documents and files which they claim are from the CIA's Center for Cyber Intelligence in Langley, Virginia.

WikiLeaks has a 100-percent track record for publishing authentic documents.

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has also chimed in on the issue, tweeting, “Still working through the publication, but what @Wikileaks has here is genuinely a big deal. Looks authentic.”