GoKawiilResearcher reverse-engineers Renault infotainment just to fix the clock
Security researcher Rasmus Moorats found his 2014 Renault Latitude refused to let him adjust its dashboard clock because the original navigation SD card was missing, triggering a 'No maps detected!' error. Unable to fix it through normal settings, he reverse-engineered the head unit's customized Linux-based TomTom OS on a Samsung chip, extracting firmware, building a QEMU test environment, and finding multiple vulnerabilities before devising a kernel-level exploit to execute his own code.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The case illustrates how automakers can tie basic functions like clock adjustment to proprietary hardware accessories, leaving owners without official fixes if those parts go missing. It also suggests, as demonstrated by Moorats' research, that aging in-car infotainment systems may harbor unpatched kernel-level vulnerabilities that could potentially be exploited for purposes beyond simple time changes.
- A missing navigation SD card blocked basic clock adjustment on a 2014 Renault Latitude.
- The researcher reverse-engineered the TomTom-based Linux head unit to bypass the restriction.
- The process exposed multiple vulnerabilities, including a kernel-level exploit technique.
SanDisk 32GB microSD Card — If your car's infotainment system relies on a navigation SD card like the Renault in this story, losing or misplacing it can lock you out of basic functions like setting the clock. Keeping a reliable, properly formatted microSD card on hand ensures you won't get stuck reverse-engineering your own dashboard just to fix daylight saving time.
See SanDisk 32GB microSD Card on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: tomshardware.com — Mark Tyson, 2026-11-09
Published there as: “Security researcher had to jailbreak their car just to update the clock”
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