Auto makers are increasingly using over-the-air (OTA) software updates, a technology that smartphone companies like Google, Apple and Samsung have relied on for more than a decade to deliver new features and security fixes. While the technology has made updating vehicles faster and cheaper, cybersecurity experts are warning that it also creates new risks. According to a CNBC report, analysts say wireless updates could leave connected vehicles vulnerable to cyberattacks, data breaches and even attempts by foreign actors to interfere with vehicle systems. OTA updates raise cybersecurity concerns: Analyst Over-the-air (OTA) technology allows manufacturers to wirelessly send software updates, bug fixes and new features to internet-connected devices without requiring a visit to a service center. Tesla began rolling out OTA updates for its Model S vehicles in 2012, helping popularize the technology across the automotive industry. Today, many car makers use OTA updates to improve vehicle software and fix issues remotely. "The technology is increasingly welcomed as it is a quick and cost-effective way to manage systems on vehicles, over traditional methods which may have required a recall or update at routine maintenance," Siraj Ahmed Shaikh, professor in systems security at Swansea University in the UK, told CNBC. However, analysts say the growing use of OTA updates also introduces new cybersecurity risks. Its use represents "a unique national security concern," Gabriel Lim, senior analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, told CNBC. "Aside from data privacy concerns, the potential of a foreign actor sabotaging the controls of a moving vehicle is a possibility that countries like Norway, Denmark, and Britain have expressed concerns about," Lim added. Norwegian bus test highlights potential risks The concerns gained attention after Norwegian public transport company Ruter tested two buses last year and found potential security risks linked to OTA technology.