Bikes with Shimano Di2 wireless gear systems are vulnerable to hacking, which could give attackers the ability to change gears, a huge nightmare for cycling. An academic study, “MakeShift: Security Analysis of Shimano Di2 Wireless Gear Shifting in Bicycles” by researchers from Northeastern University and the University of California examined the security of the Shimano Di2 gear system. The study examined the vulnerabilities of the Shimano 105 Di2 and the Shimano DURA-ACE Di2 for mid-range road bikes and professional cyclists.
How Hacking of the Gear Shifting Could Occur
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Shimano’s gear systems have similar communication capabilities as they use Bluetooth Low Energy to link with the smartphone app and the ANT+ protocol. The most critical communication aspect is that the bikes’ shifters and derailleurs usually link up via Shimano’s exclusive protocol on a specific frequency of 2.478 GHz. The communication element of the gear system is highly vulnerable to hacking as commands for every shifter/derailleur pair are the same.
The use of the same command exposes the system to a replay attack, indicating hackers can intercept the messes without decryption. Attackers can easily shift a bike’s gear remotely. The researchers used a software-defined ratio to hack and send commands, gaining full control over the gear system. The exposure range was around 10 meters, which is a significant area for attackers to commit heinous crimes in society today.
Implications of Shimano Di2 Hacking Vulnerabilities
Like any other sport, cycling is highly competitive, with millions of dollars at stake for pros and brands. In the past, cycling has been grappling with cases of doping, but now the sport could be vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Bad actors can easily hide their equipment in a support vehicle, with the10 10-meter range to sabotage a cyclist. If the replay commands are sent as a professional cyclist is descending or ascending, the attack could cause serious injuries to the victim.
The researchers did not review the gear wireless systems of Shimano’s rivals including Campagnolo and SRAM, but it does not mean these rivals’ systems are protected from such cyberattacks. However, Shimano is the largest player in the cycling market and thus, it is only logical to study their systems.
Final Thoughts
Shimano was aware of the safety exposures and is working on an update. As Shimano works on an update, amateur cyclists don’t have as much risk as most bikes don’t have the Shimano Di2 wireless program. Technology always comes at a risk, as criminals are always looking to take advantage of any vulnerabilities. Shimano must come up with a fix immediately to prevent cyberattacks from becoming a norm in the cycling world.
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