Tesla Is Giving Away a Model 3 if You Can Successfully Hack One

Fob Off

You can unlock a Tesla Model 3 by walking up to it with your phone in your pocket or by tapping a key card on the side of the car door. But there may be another way in: by exposing security flaws of the car's built-in computer.

Or at least, that's what Tesla is officially investigating. According to Teslarati, Elon Musk's electric vehicle company is offering up a mid-range rear-wheel-drive Model 3 — valued at  roughly $33,000 USD — to anybody savvy enough to gain access without a legitimate key card or authenticated smartphone.

Pwning Tesla

Hackers will have three days as part of the "Pwn2Own" contest, held at the Vancouver-based CanSec West security conference in March. Tesla will provide the Model 3.

Tesla launched its bug bounty program, which is essentially a way to reward hackers for exposing security flaws, back in 2014. According to bugcrowd.com — a crowdsourced security platform that Tesla uses — hackers have to disclose the exact vulnerability they found related to Tesla's vehicles. The company will pay rewards ranging from $100 to $15,000 depending on the severity.

Win-Win

Since the start of its bug bounty program, Tesla has introduced new security measures in response, adding cryptographic software validation to both its smartphone app and key fobs.

It's a win-win for one of the most successful EV manufacturers: make their cars secure, while also creating some more hype for the best-selling luxury car in the U.S. in 2018.

READ MORE: Tesla is giving away a Model 3 in Pwn2Own hacking contest [Teslarati]

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