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4G Modem Disabling Instructions:
- Thread starter drummerboy
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lenFeb
Well-Known Member
You have 2017 GT350. The modem installation start with 2019.
In my case, I have premium increases from $1.1K/6m to $3.1K/6m for three cars including GT350. When I asked them why, they said it's because my driving history. I don't have incidents or traffic tickets. When I asked them to explain what is my driving history, they didn't give me any valid explanation, just kept repeating same thing. I drive car spirited, I'm not going to give details how spirited. So, I really believe that Ford see my driving habits through Ford Connect and selling to insurance companies(Geico in this case).
I'm going to pull #10 fuse and see it Ford Connect app can't see location of my car.
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drummerboy
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- #48
Your post was one of the reasons I decided to go try this out.
Please do report back on the Ford Connect app.
Briebee72
Well-Known Member
If you signed up for ford rewards and collected the reward points for new car purchase you did sign up and agree its part of the requirements for the reward points.
MRGTX
Well-Known Member
Awesome thread and a big thanks to @drummerboy for sharing what he knows here.
My own realization is that we’re all making a deal with corporate interests who are not dealing in good faith. We don’t/can’t know the true value and uses of our data...which we hand over in exchange for a few conveniences. They hold all of the cards and they can change the terms of the “deal” at any time and we will hurriedly click “agree” to get on with the rest of our day.
I have found the Fordpass app to be slow, unreliable, extremely limited. Honestly, it’s a low effort product for a captive audience and they likely have little interest in Improving it....but most of the time, Fordpass will tell me exactly where my car is and it gives me remote access to locking the doors, etc. pulling this fuse would presumably disable that connectivity...is that worth it in exchange for detailed information about my daily life and habits?
Almost certainly not...but the loss of convenience is extremely tangible and the benefit of withholding personal data is an abstract concept.
My own realization is that we’re all making a deal with corporate interests who are not dealing in good faith. We don’t/can’t know the true value and uses of our data...which we hand over in exchange for a few conveniences. They hold all of the cards and they can change the terms of the “deal” at any time and we will hurriedly click “agree” to get on with the rest of our day.
I have found the Fordpass app to be slow, unreliable, extremely limited. Honestly, it’s a low effort product for a captive audience and they likely have little interest in Improving it....but most of the time, Fordpass will tell me exactly where my car is and it gives me remote access to locking the doors, etc. pulling this fuse would presumably disable that connectivity...is that worth it in exchange for detailed information about my daily life and habits?
Almost certainly not...but the loss of convenience is extremely tangible and the benefit of withholding personal data is an abstract concept.
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Bikeman315
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So, understandably, we are all concerned about security in regards to Ford and the modems in our cars. But as I said earlier this is a small, very small matter in regards to the bigger picture. Got this article today. Would be far more concerned about my medical records than if Ford know where I am.
Internet Scambusters
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
https://www.scambusters.org
By Scambuster Keith
Issue #924 August 26, 2020
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Is Your Privacy at Risk With Telehealth Consults?
It was always going to happen, but there's no doubt that the Coronavirus pandemic has greatly sped up the use of telemedicine or telehealth -- online medical consultations. But has necessity put privacy at risk? Is it safe to talk about your medical issues via the Internet? Could hackers be eavesdropping on your most confidential health issues? And, if so, how might that affect you? The initial answers to these questions are worrying. Here's why.
Back in March, the US Office for Civil Rights announced it would not act against Telehealth providers who didn't comply with privacy regulations during the pandemic, allowing them to use apps whose security has been questioned. The reason is simple. Caring for patients is the priority, not security.
As one expert recently told the HealthITSecurity website, "Cybersecurity takes a back seat to patient care. A hospital's number one job is to manage patient care, and cybercriminals know this." There's another aspect to this too. Computers and mobile devices aren't just for telemedicine consultations.
Increasingly, patients are able to use them to check and read their medical records. That means, of course, that if we can read them, so might others if they either hack into systems or get ahold of our passwords. And as the medical services organization PrognoCIS noted recently: "Once hackers successfully steal sensitive data, they may use this data to blackmail a patient or a provider." They might also use the information for identity theft. It has even been suggested that health information traded on the dark web might be used to target sick people with offers of fake medications and cures.
"Think about what happens when your spouse starts receiving ads for life insurance after you have received a tele-diagnosis of acute heart disease that you have not yet disclosed," cybersecurity website SecurityRoundTable.org suggests.
Questions and Actions
So, what can you do to protect your privacy, whether during an online consultation or for access to your medical records?
For telemedicine, the main responsibility rests with the healthcare provider you're dealing with. They're responsible for selecting the app you use and the sign-on security. So here are some of the questions you should ask and actions you should take:
* Is the software/app being used approved for secure Telehealth consultations. For instance, popular applications like Skype and FaceTime are not recommended because, according to the American Psychiatric Association, they don't have the right level of privacy protection.
* Is it compliant with HIPAA, the health information privacy rules referred to above? The rules may temporarily have been eased but you have to question why a provider might want to ignore them.
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has published a list of apps that claim to be compliant. Find it here: https://tinyurl.com/HIPAA-vid
* Is the video data encrypted -- that is, digitally jumbled so it can't be viewed by intruders?
* Is the consultation being recorded and/or stored? If it's stored, it might be in danger of being accessed in a future data breach.
* Have your consultation in a private setting where you can't be monitored or overheard.
As regards accessing your medical records online, the steps you should take are more or less the same you would take to protect any confidential online information. That is:
* Protect your username and password. Don't share it with others, including anyone who phones and asks for it, no matter who they say they are.
* If the system allows it -- and most do -- use two-factor authentication; that is, a second code or password, usually via an app on your phone.
* In addition, find out whether your medical information is being shared among multiple providers. This should not be done without your permission.
Telemedicine is efficient and potentially cheaper than face-to-face consultations. Doctors can see and treat more people more quickly and easily wherever they are.
So, there will be no turning back to the old ways, even if or when the Covid-19 pandemic is behind us. Mainstream Telehealth is here to stay. So, it's worth spending the time to learn about it and practice good Telehealth security now.
Internet Scambusters
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
https://www.scambusters.org
By Scambuster Keith
Issue #924 August 26, 2020
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Is Your Privacy at Risk With Telehealth Consults?
It was always going to happen, but there's no doubt that the Coronavirus pandemic has greatly sped up the use of telemedicine or telehealth -- online medical consultations. But has necessity put privacy at risk? Is it safe to talk about your medical issues via the Internet? Could hackers be eavesdropping on your most confidential health issues? And, if so, how might that affect you? The initial answers to these questions are worrying. Here's why.
Back in March, the US Office for Civil Rights announced it would not act against Telehealth providers who didn't comply with privacy regulations during the pandemic, allowing them to use apps whose security has been questioned. The reason is simple. Caring for patients is the priority, not security.
As one expert recently told the HealthITSecurity website, "Cybersecurity takes a back seat to patient care. A hospital's number one job is to manage patient care, and cybercriminals know this." There's another aspect to this too. Computers and mobile devices aren't just for telemedicine consultations.
Increasingly, patients are able to use them to check and read their medical records. That means, of course, that if we can read them, so might others if they either hack into systems or get ahold of our passwords. And as the medical services organization PrognoCIS noted recently: "Once hackers successfully steal sensitive data, they may use this data to blackmail a patient or a provider." They might also use the information for identity theft. It has even been suggested that health information traded on the dark web might be used to target sick people with offers of fake medications and cures.
"Think about what happens when your spouse starts receiving ads for life insurance after you have received a tele-diagnosis of acute heart disease that you have not yet disclosed," cybersecurity website SecurityRoundTable.org suggests.
Questions and Actions
So, what can you do to protect your privacy, whether during an online consultation or for access to your medical records?
For telemedicine, the main responsibility rests with the healthcare provider you're dealing with. They're responsible for selecting the app you use and the sign-on security. So here are some of the questions you should ask and actions you should take:
* Is the software/app being used approved for secure Telehealth consultations. For instance, popular applications like Skype and FaceTime are not recommended because, according to the American Psychiatric Association, they don't have the right level of privacy protection.
* Is it compliant with HIPAA, the health information privacy rules referred to above? The rules may temporarily have been eased but you have to question why a provider might want to ignore them.
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has published a list of apps that claim to be compliant. Find it here: https://tinyurl.com/HIPAA-vid
* Is the video data encrypted -- that is, digitally jumbled so it can't be viewed by intruders?
* Is the consultation being recorded and/or stored? If it's stored, it might be in danger of being accessed in a future data breach.
* Have your consultation in a private setting where you can't be monitored or overheard.
As regards accessing your medical records online, the steps you should take are more or less the same you would take to protect any confidential online information. That is:
* Protect your username and password. Don't share it with others, including anyone who phones and asks for it, no matter who they say they are.
* If the system allows it -- and most do -- use two-factor authentication; that is, a second code or password, usually via an app on your phone.
* In addition, find out whether your medical information is being shared among multiple providers. This should not be done without your permission.
Telemedicine is efficient and potentially cheaper than face-to-face consultations. Doctors can see and treat more people more quickly and easily wherever they are.
So, there will be no turning back to the old ways, even if or when the Covid-19 pandemic is behind us. Mainstream Telehealth is here to stay. So, it's worth spending the time to learn about it and practice good Telehealth security now.
Bikeman315
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For your rates to climb as much as they did, the insurance company has a lot more than spirited driving on you. You have every right to an explanation as to why your rates went up that much. Get a manager and have them explain in detail why your rates almost tripled.
As far as Ford selling your data to the insurance company. Well I understand that is your opinion but I believe that's just paranoid conjecture on your part. If you are really concerned that this happened contact Ford directly and ask.
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drummerboy
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- Thread starter
- #53
This is a fantastic point, and I'm glad you brought it up. Maintaining each little bit of privacy requires effort and sometimes extreme diligence. This one is rather easy, but if the loss of remote door locking is too much for someone, that person could get creative: why not run a switch to the fuse 10 location? Flip the switch off when you're driving, back on when your parked? Or get even more creative if you have the know how and automate it. Personally, if I could imagine a scenario where I might want the modem on, I would run a switch. But I can't think of any, so if that arises then I'll just pop the fuse back in as it's a 1 minute affair.
This is why I love that your brought this up - everyone has their own tolerance level, their own know how, their own situation, their own use for these things... and there is no one-size-fits-all solution to any of it, but with a little ingenuity a custom solution can be implemented.
Honestly the car data, as some have pointed out in this thread, is quite benign compared to other privacy concerns (though this is also a personal opinion, some people might certainly be more concerned with keeping their location/speed private than others). But compare the process of pulling the fuse to what it takes to maintain real privacy in other areas where it's nearly impossible, creates other problems, etc. - this fuse is definitely one of the easiest solutions I've come across.
lenFeb
Well-Known Member
I had a lengthy conversation with manager and that go nowhere. So I decide to switch insurance company. I've got a much less quote from Progressive than I have before premium increase from Geico. I'm not paranoid about it at all. My opinion based on facts that known to me. For instance, when I purchased GT350 and during 6 month period my premium with Geico didn't go up. During that period I drove car easy, braking-in. During this time I've got renewal for the same amount, nothing was changed and premium didn't go up. Then after breaking-in period I start driving car spirited. So, now the time for policy renewal and it went up by $2K. My other car that I drive spirited Audi S4 doesn't have modem or any wifi. So, my opinion is base on these facts, no paranoia. I'll just move on with other insurance company and will disable modem.
Bikeman315
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There is no question that insurance companies can get data from Ford but it is only with the owners consent. Also it appears the data transmitted is mileage. There is no indication that FordPass even collects speed data so passing that on would need to be proven.
https://www.autonews.com/technology/allstate-ford-allow-sharing-their-customers-driving-data
https://www.wired.com/2012/05/ford-sync-insurance/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/carmakers-are-collecting-your-data-and-selling-it/
https://media.ford.com/content/ford.../02/21/ford-lincoln-nationwide-insurance.html
https://www.autonews.com/technology/allstate-ford-allow-sharing-their-customers-driving-data
https://www.wired.com/2012/05/ford-sync-insurance/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/carmakers-are-collecting-your-data-and-selling-it/
https://media.ford.com/content/ford.../02/21/ford-lincoln-nationwide-insurance.html
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drummerboy
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- Thread starter
- #56
Bikeman, I think at this point in time and tech that it's completely reasonable for a guy to expect that 1) companies are collecting far more data than they say, and 2) they have your consent whether you know it or not. So we'll err on the side of caution and pull the fuse.
Rusherific
Well-Known Member
Yes this has been proven time and again with any company with access to data. Even if they're being "honest" about not using certain data types (yet), they most certainly absolutely collect and store anything and everything they can just in case, why not? I do videos for tech companies sometimes as part of my job and so learn about some of this stuff which often isn't meant for public consumption, like for investors etc.
For instance apps on your phone can infer your location even without explicit permission to use the phone's location services, using dozens of tricks you'd never even think of. The craziest one I know about is Facebook has a photogrammetic 3D model of your house based on any and all photos you've taken inside it. What do they plan on doing with that? Who the fuck knows! But why not if they can, is the tech philosophy. The future will only get crazier from here. Don't forget all apps have access to your clipboard, i.e. any text you copy and paste in your phone even if you're not even using the app in question.
Bikeman315
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I agree 100%. I just called my sister in law with my father in law's SS number. His cable company needs it to setup his account. Why? Who knows. Do you have to give it? So they say. And why did I call her? Because I didn't want to put that number in a text or e-mail. Why? Because you never know.
That's why I'm not really all that concerned about FordPass.
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drummerboy
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FWIW I have verified now that the Ford app on my phone only has old data from before pulling the fuse.
Now, I have a question for you guys. First, my Wi-Fi is almost never on as in my line of work I need my whole house wired, so all my devices are connected via ethernet. I could have sworn I previously connected my GT350 to my Wi-Fi, but yesterday I could not find the settings in the infotainment screen. Maybe I did that on a different car? Do our cars have the ability to connect to the Wi-Fi or not?
I figured I'd go ahead and turn my Wi-Fi on and test for you guys if the car is able to send its data this way, but I just couldn't find the setting!
Now, I have a question for you guys. First, my Wi-Fi is almost never on as in my line of work I need my whole house wired, so all my devices are connected via ethernet. I could have sworn I previously connected my GT350 to my Wi-Fi, but yesterday I could not find the settings in the infotainment screen. Maybe I did that on a different car? Do our cars have the ability to connect to the Wi-Fi or not?
I figured I'd go ahead and turn my Wi-Fi on and test for you guys if the car is able to send its data this way, but I just couldn't find the setting!
lenFeb
Well-Known Member
I think this is what you looking for?FWIW I have verified now that the Ford app on my phone only has old data from before pulling the fuse.
Now, I have a question for you guys. First, my Wi-Fi is almost never on as in my line of work I need my whole house wired, so all my devices are connected via ethernet. I could have sworn I previously connected my GT350 to my Wi-Fi, but yesterday I could not find the settings in the infotainment screen. Maybe I did that on a different car? Do our cars have the ability to connect to the Wi-Fi or not?
I figured I'd go ahead and turn my Wi-Fi on and test for you guys if the car is able to send its data this way, but I just couldn't find the setting!
https://owner.ford.com/support/how-tos/sync/sync-3/apps-and-connected-car/wifi-hotspot-setup.html
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