You know hackers can get into your smart phone, your computer -- even your smart TV. But you may not realize new cars are also a target. When your phone syncs with the infotainment system in your car, it's just another vulnerable computer with your personal data.
Computer security expert John Quain says this isn't just a case of Chicken Little paranoia.
"I think it is a big deal, in some respects, because it can be used against you if you're trying to get a car loan or a mortgage for your house or a new job; employers, banks, financial institutions, they're all using that data about you."
There isn't much a consumer can do about this either, other than just not sync the phone with the car. But most of us find the convenience is worth the risk.
Quain says companies like Apple and Google could help -- if they want to.
"In Europe, many countries there have very specific regulations about what data can be used and how it can be used, whether it's from your smart phone surfing the Internet or from the infotainment system in your car; so it's certainly possible."
Quain says Apple and Google have to comply in Europe, so they could help consumers here, too.