Science & Tech · Cybersecurity · 3 hrs ago
Chinese-made rental cars recorded sensitive data during Norway exercise
During a Norwegian military exercise at Oslo airport, soldiers found videos stored in rental cars.
The footage showed personnel movements, routes and security access codes at military facilities.
At least two of the cars were Deepal models made by Chinese state-controlled automaker Changan and supplied to the army by Hertz Norge.
Officials said it is unknown whether the recordings were shared with a third party, including anyone in China.
The incident has raised concerns because connected cars can collect sensitive information even when used for routine transport.
The military kept using the cars until the exercise ended, as it had no alternatives, and soldiers deleted the videos.
Norway said it would rely on security procedures for individual sites, including possible bans on camera-equipped vehicles, rather than a general ban on Chinese-made cars.
Chinese-made rental cars recorded video during a Norwegian military exercise at Oslo airport, including access codes and officials’ movements.
Soldiers found the recordings on the cars’ systems during the exercise, which ran from September 14 to 18.
At least two of the rental vehicles were Deepal cars made by Chinese state-controlled automaker Changan and supplied by Hertz Norge.
It was not known whether the recordings were shared with a third party, and a Norwegian Home Guard spokesperson said he could not rule that out.
The military continued using the vehicles until the exercise ended because it had no alternatives, and soldiers deleted the videos.
- Who
- Norwegian Home Guard soldiers found the recordings in rental vehicles, including at least two Deepal cars made by Changan.
- What
- The cars recorded video showing officials’ movements, routes and access codes to military facilities.
- When
- During an exercise from September 14 to 18. The discovery was reported three weeks after the exercise.
- Where
- Oslo airport, Norway.
- Why
- The recordings raised concerns about security risks from connected vehicles. The sources do not state why the cars recorded the information.
Norwegian security authorities and military
Hertz Norge
Data security
Norwegian security authorities and military
The recordings contained sensitive information, and officials said they could not rule out the possibility that it was shared with a third party.
Hertz Norge
Hertz Norge said customers’ data was safe and that rental data was not shared with manufacturers, owners or other third parties without explicit legal grounds.
A security exercise took place at Oslo airport.
Soldiers found videos recorded by the vehicles’ onboard cameras.
The military was still using the vehicles because it lacked alternatives, and soldiers had deleted the videos.
Dagens Naeringsliv reported that the rental cars had recorded sensitive information.
- Exercise location
- Oslo airport, Norway
- Exercise dates
- September 14–18
- Vehicles
- At least two Deepal rental cars made by Changan
- Rental supplier
- Hertz Norge
- Recorded information
- Officials’ movements, vehicle routes and codes for military facility gates or doors
- Rental company ownership
- Hertz Norge is indirectly owned by Chinese auto group Geely
3 sources
What people are saying
Yes, soldiers from the Home Guard found videos from the vehicles’ sensors stored in their systems
Our customers’ data is safe with us
We don’t know for sure where the information is sent or what it’s used for
If we become too dependent on services or products from a given country, that makes us vulnerable, whatever that country may be