Major car brands face 'unavoidable trade-off' as hackers target millions of vehicles, ex-FBI cyber chief warns Automakers could see a rise in cyber and ransomware attacks, a cybersecurity expert told GB News Don't Miss Most Read A former FBI cyber chief has told GB News that millions of vehicles could be at risk of being hacked over the coming years, potentially devastating drivers. Cynthia Kaiser, SVP of the Halcyon Ransomware Research Center, explained that vehicles becoming packed with more impressive technology will inadvertently lead to greater chances of being hacked. Ms Kaiser, who previously served as Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI’s Cyber Division, described the move to more connected vehicles as "an almost unavoidable trade-off". She highlighted how modern vehicles contain over 100 million lines of code and increasingly depend on cloud services, over-the-air updates and third-party software integrations. As more drivers make the transition away from petrol and diesel vehicles and towards electric cars, motorists are expecting technology to improve. While this will naturally include driver assistance and road safety features, motorists may also want a host of entertainment features, with some brands even opting to include karaoke functions. Manufacturers, especially those in China, face greater levels of competition than ever before, and technology is one of the easiest ways to get ahead by marketing directly to the everyday needs and wants of motorists. Ms Kaiser pointed out that all of these connection points can be exploited by threat actors and criminals, citing evidence to support these claims. A cybersecurity expert has issued a warning that automakers could be more at risk of cyber attacks as they make more connected vehicles |GETTY/PA A report from Halcyon shows that ransomware attacks targeting the auto sector more than doubled in 2025, and accounted for 44 per cent of all publicly