Rental car warning: you may want to avoid using the USB port

[FrodosPet]

Rental car warning: you may want to avoid using the USB port

Better Business Bureau warns drivers renting cars not to use the USB ports, which could access the personal information on your devices.

http://kmph-kfre.com/news/nation-world/rental-car-warning-you-may-want-to-avoid-using-the-usb-port-09-13-2016

BY BRAD GOODE, KOMO TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH 2016

SEATTLE, Wash. — (KOMO) - When you rent a car, you probably want all the bells and whistles. But, all the technology you can get on four wheels these days does come with a warning.

The Better Business Bureau is advising renters to be aware of USB ports in these so-called "connected cars," which could actually store your information and let someone else access it.

~ snip ~

"All that data in there, that is access for the next person that gets into that car," said Quinaln. "They may know where you went, they might have your phone number. They might have a complete list of all the people that you've called in your contact list, imagine that."

~ snip ~

[Jerry442]

1. Is there an adapter that passes thru power but blocks data? NT

[FrodosPet]

3. Cigarette lighter adapters SHOULD be power only

It is a bad idea to link by Bluetooth to a rental as well, if you want to protect the privacy of your call list and contacts.

[Jerry442]

12. Durn, overlooked the obvious.

[liberal N proud]

2. If you are needing to charge your device...

get a cigarette lighter adapter and plug that in.

[malaise]

15. That's all we use

in our own cars - that and a lil portable wireless that also can be charged using the lighter charge

[bluedigger]

4. Why just rental cars?

What about selling your car?

[DVRacer]

5. You can flush any stored memory

I suggest this when friends and family sell cars with stored data like Bluetooth connections. I guess doing it for rental cars wouldn't be a bad idea if you link up with those too.

Unhook the cars battery for 5 minutes this should empty all memory except the cars computer program. It will also reset check engine lights if you fix the issue as it will take running after for a few minutes to trip the light again. It is a feature of OBDII that all cars built after 1996 have.

[snooper2]

7. no LOL- Just helped my MIL pick a used car and got my wife a minivan

MIL car somebody left all of their contacts and everything on the Ford Sync whatever they call it, speak name to dial- The whole works. Disconnecting the battery doesn't clear any of that. It's in memory

Had to manually go delete a bunch of shit- pain in the ass...

It will clear any codes in the computer on "most" vehicles but they will pop back up within usually 50-100 miles. Especially emissions codes as the computer learns information based on stop/start/RPM/miles driven over time.

[DVRacer]

18. Sync has a delete all function

It's stored in different memory yes

[dembotoz]

6. between wells fargo and now car rental...corporate america is just out to screw ya

going off the grid is making more sense

[Nye Bevan]

8. I'm not really worried about this.

Big deal if someone gets my contact list. It's not like the car is going to steal my Apple Pay credit card number or anything important.

[randome]

10. They can see your Justin Bieber playlist!

God knows what that will lead to!
[hr][font color="blue"][center]“If you're not committed to anything, you're just taking up space.”
Gregory Peck, Mirage (1965)[/center][/font][hr]

[Nye Bevan]

11. oops

[OriginalGeek]

14. Not worried either

if they wanna listen to all the same death metal MP3s I do, good on 'em.

[Renew Deal]

9. This is true and it has been for a long time

[LanternWaste]

13. So the obvious potential to use, store, transfer and edit information between different hosts is som

So the obvious potential to use, store, transfer and edit information between different hosts is something new to anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Consistently, it's some end-user consumer that suddenly has a sudden flash of insight in a most anti-climatic, Eureka moment that all the things he can do with a flash drive or a USB port, a company (or anyone else) can as well.

Coffee shop warning: you may want to avoid using the USB port...
Airport warning: you may want to avoid using the USB port...
Student Center warning: you may want to avoid using the USB port...

[Warren DeMontague]

16. well, not what I use it for

I mean, uh... what?

[MerryBlooms]

17. Thanks for posting. Shared.

Rec & Kick