If you use a Switch-Pros switch panel and you’re headed to a show, you might want to do this before heading out.
Photographer and moonlighting Hacker Dereck Chinn shared with Zach Wingfield (aka @Zwing) during SEMA 2022 in real-time how he’s able to “hack” into a car’s accessories, in this case an air ride system, by exploiting an overlooked set-up step in the security of the Switch Pros switch panel power system.
Chinn employed this overlooked set-up step, picked a SEMA attendee at random, and was able to raise and lower his truck, not to mention power his air horn, all without the owner’s knowledge.
OK, it’s not really hacking, but it piqued your interest, right?
Check out @Zwing’s video below. (mirror)
A popular panel power system in the aftermarket community is the Switch-Pros panel power system. Like a lot of aftermarket parts, these Switch-Pros products have blue-tooth capability through an app.
And, like many Bluetooth users, they don’t password protect their Bluetooth connection which, as Chinn demonstrates, means that anyone with the latest Switch-Pros app, available free for download, can connect to most Switch Pros Switch panel systems.
And it’s not like Switch Pros doesn’t warn you as, in their instructions they clearly recommend to, “put a password on your App to keep others from accessing your system.”
In this owner’s defense, most probably don’t think about password protecting something like a lift system, as it’s just an extra and arguably unnecessary step when using the app 99.9% of the time.
And in those cases where password protecting your lift kit app might be useful, like at a heavily attended car show, what are the chances that’s on the laundry list of things for car show attendees to do before heading out?
It’s a neat “tricK” to amuse yourself or show off to friends, for sure, but it’s worth thinking about it before connecting to a stranger’s car or truck.
Just for the sake of argument, perhaps you enable a truck’s airhorn and unbeknownst to you there’s a dad pushing his baby within earshot. Now the poor kid’s deaf for life. Assuming you’re caught, guess who shares some liability?
More nefariously, you might “hack” into a Switch Pros app, enable a front lift while a truck’s on the freeway, and inadvertently cause a crash. Sure, you might not get caught, but do you really want that on your conscience?
As for Switch Pros Switch panel owners, be sure to add password protection to your Bluetooth connections before heading out to meets or shows, and don’t forget!
