The key facts

  • Russian owners of Li Auto had their master accounts stolen: screens and climate control were disabled in the cars, and 35,000–45,000 rubles were demanded for the return of access
  • Specialists advise not to pay the ransom, but to restore access through the manufacturer's official channels and contact the police
  • The possibility of compensation for expenses depends on the terms of the specific casco policy

What happened and what experts advise

Owners of connected cars have been told how to act when their vehicle is digitally locked after attackers take over the account and demand a ransom. Director of product analytics for casco insurance at Rosgosstrakh Artem Martyanov, in a conversation with Gazeta.Ru, advised that in such a situation one should contact the police and the brand's official support, and not transfer money to the attackers.

The Li Auto case

The recommendations were prompted by the theft of master accounts belonging to Russian owners of Li Auto vehicles. According to Martyanov, after losing access, some cars had their screens and climate control disabled, experienced starting problems, and the fraudsters demanded 35,000–45,000 rubles to return the account. The exact method used to intercept the accounts remains unknown.

Scale of the threat and insurance

Alexey Usanov, head of the R&D center at Positive Labs, Positive Technologies, emphasized that digital threats affect cars of various brands: potentially vulnerable are apps, multimedia systems, telematics units, and the manufacturer's infrastructure. 'An attack on a car can end not only in a data leak, but also in the theft of the vehicle or its being locked with a ransom demand,' he warned.

What the owner should check

Martyanov advised checking whether access to the phone or email linked to the car account is still available, and restoring control through the manufacturer's official channels. If the casco policy includes protection against unauthorized interference with software, certain restoration costs may be covered by insurance; however, whether such a risk is included, the list of covered services, and exclusions must be checked in the specific policy.