DOES MY MAVERICK SNITCH ON ME?

[heady]

Unfortunately, no one will be able to tell you where the data ends up or what is done with it or by whom, that was somewhat nationally regulated by the CFPB, those rules and data protections were junked a few days ago. It is unlikely that it will be anything but the wild west for data brokers moving forward. It's open season on your data that leaves your possession, it was probably always best to treat it like it would be anyways. Some of it will be for your convenience, like those maintenance messages, but most of it will be for someone else's convenience, that's what makes that data worth paying so much for!

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[Removal2833]

I hate to be paranoid,, but does my 2024 Maverick report my driving habits to anyone? LexisNexis, ,etc. I know that some vehicles allow you to report the data for a lower insurance premium, but doesn't do it automatically? Thanks. I have to go now, someone's after me. steve

Not to be overly cynical, but I've worked in computer technology/security for 25 years, and I can assure you that, unless you've taken some REALLY extreme steps to stay off the grid, you're being tracked on a regular basis by at least 2 or 3 things you carry around or use every day.

If you have a modern vehicle with an always on connection, or have your phone with you, or drive thru any area with automated cameras or past cops with automated plate scanning, then they are collecting data points on your location. Aggregating and collating those data points is a multi-billion dollar a year industry with the data being bought and sold by all manner of companies.

It is very difficult to exist and participate in today's society without this occurring. The real problem is that so much of it happens in the background and the companies behind it have just taken it for granted that the public in general is blissfully unaware of just how much data they have on you. The real issue is that we lack any real data/privacy protections in the US.

 

[scott1070]

Wait until you hear about that mini computer you carry in your pocket everywhere you go

 

[BlueSpec1]

Ford Motor Company US Privacy Notice - https://www.ford.com/help/privacy/#USprivacynotice
Effective on: January 1, 2025
...

CATEGORIES AND SOURCES OF PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

The personal information we collect depends on how you interact with us, the Products you use, and the choices you make. We collect personal information about you in different ways and from different sources, including through the Products we provide. Details about our privacy practices relating to Ford and Lincoln vehicles appear in the Connected Vehicle Privacy section below.

...

Information From Your Vehicle

Ford and Lincoln vehicles have systems that record data about how the vehicle is performing, how it is driven, where it is located, and the environment where it is operated. This data may be associated with a vehicle's unique identification number (“VIN”) or other identifiers, and VIN or the other identifiers may be linked to you.

If your vehicle is equipped with Connected Services or has factory-installed connectivity technology capable of electronically transmitting vehicle-originated data to Ford, we may collect the following categories of information from your vehicle:

Vehicle Data
Driving Data
Vehicle Location (which may be collected through location-based features and functions in the vehicle or in our mobile apps and which may be derived from other information such as your mobile device’s location)
Audio/Visual
Media Analytics
Vehicle Analytics

Which categories of information are collected from your vehicle typically depends on how the vehicle is equipped for connectivity; in other words, what connectivity technologies, software version, data sharing settings, and Connected Services are present and what selections have been made for the data sharing settings. See the Connected Vehicle Privacy section below for details and data category definitions.

In limited situations, we may collect Vehicle Location, regardless of location settings. We do this to protect and defend our rights or property (including repossessing a vehicle in the event of a delinquency) or to comply with applicable law, to respond to valid legal process (including from law enforcement or other government agencies), or, in the event of exigent circumstances, to help prevent the loss of life or serious injury or help protect the personal safety of Ford personnel, users of our vehicles, websites, or apps, our visitors, or the public. For additional details about these situations, see the “Our Disclosures of Personal Information” section below.

 

[heady]

Wait until you hear about that mini computer you carry in your pocket everywhere you go

Indeed, phones are a bigger data privacy threat than connected vehicles in many ways, but security folks treat those far differently than the general public does, too - but it's a bit far outside the scope of the vehicle vulnerability threat profile. From a data perspective, the car data may be more likely to impact you in a legal, but negative way, financially, as you can be risk weighted based on driving habits, locations visited, etc, and the financial exposure for rent seeking from that data are more lucrative. The threat actor score for hardware damage potential and economic damage potential is far greater for the vehicles than from the phones, though - you can write a single target package once that works for millions of vehicles, worth hundreds of billions of dollars - the ROI from a military perspective is exceptional.

 

[Deb from MN]

I suppose I should watch my language abuse now...lol

 

[NedF]

My 2024 have a modem but it won't connect to at&t. Its part of the chip shortage so it's not snitching.

The chip shortage did not affect the telecommunications modem in the truck.

The only modem they cut out because of the chip shortage was the one that allowed your truck to be used as a hot spot. I was not interested in this anyway because I have a good wireless plan and my phone can connect my iPad if needed!

 

[HenryFord]

I think anyone in IT or a technical field knows that it is very hard today to have any semblance of privacy. I think it is good practice to think about it at each place you do business, the people and entities that are collecting data. What are their practices on how they secure that data? Does that mean I think people shouldn't bother trying to protect themselves, data, or privacy? No, I think people need to be a lot more cautious. Try to reduce the number of ways your data is exposed when you can. Least privilege and need to know come to mind.

Ford does not need my data in order for me to be served by the vehicle I purchased from them. So I will be cutting them off. When my vehicle does go in for service I know they will be connecting to the vehicle to get the data they need, and possibly data they don't. Those are the kinds of things I want to see consent laws around. It is OK for you to collect data that is directly related to the service I am asking you to perform. It is not OK for you to collect my contacts, location information, and other various bits of info my vehicle might know about me unless it is directly related to the service being rendered. There is wayyyy to much grey area here.

 

[Steve Meltzer]

I had no idea when I posted this I would get so many great responses and open up such a large can of worms. Thank you all for your input. I've learned a lot, tho' not sure there's much I can do, other than pulling that fuse. thanx steve

 

[Randorita]

Amazon and Google own my digital life and anyone trespassing on their rights does so at their own risk!

 

[JasonDroninAround]

I hate to be paranoid,, but does my 2024 Maverick report my driving habits to anyone? LexisNexis, ,etc. I know that some vehicles allow you to report the data for a lower insurance premium, but doesn't do it automatically? Thanks. I have to go now, someone's after me. steve

I don't know about the 24 but there's definitely an option to turn that off in the 25 Maverick. Something along the lines of ".... track and report driving habits like acceleration and braking habits to Ford and it's partners". I definitely did not want some Lexus Nexus situation with my truck and once I found that, I turned it off.

 

[HeyBales]

That fuse isn't needed for the navigation to connect to a tower?

Are you using built in navigation - yes, it's the fuse for the modem to connect to AT&T cell network for data, for the screen.

Using connection to phone and it's doing the navigation and screen display - no, not needed.

 

[Steve Meltzer]

Thanks again! I've learned so much..... Not all things that I've learned make me happy! s

 

[MaverickNoticer]

Yes. It smelled you smoking that dope and it has been collecting data on your habits.
It also recorded you saying those bad words.
Now you are on a watchlist.

 

[MaverickNoticer]

I started specializing in offensive cybersecurity and penetration testing about a decade ago, and that fuse will be removed before I roll off the dealer lot and the radio emissions of the truck verified on my spectrum analyzer once it rolls through the garage door at home. If you don't want to be paranoid, don't go into security research

Please report back with your findings!! Sincerely.

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