You're continually making very frustrating assumptions about the situation, assumptions that paint your argument in the best possible light, even though they are not IMO reasonable.
I repeat for the third time: it is highly unlikely that there is no temporary workaround. Clip a wire, pop a fuse, remove a module, or whatever, one of these will get the job done for the moment.
Finally, even if these cars must be disabled in the interim, it's hardly "wholesale", since it's just one brand of many. Alternatives exist.
Security research is important. Does this paper hold the solution to free energy? No, but the precedent set will discourage further research in this area, which could result in leaving the power grid vulnerable to black hats.
You say I'm overstating the significance of this paper. I say you're vastly overstating the significance of this paper, in terms of what would happen to VW, to VW owners, and to society in general, if the information got out.
The chilling effect on security research of these kinds of actions is fairly well established. There are real-world examples of security researchers deciding not to work on a particular project because they fear persecution. That's a loss to society.
On the other hand, there are no real-world examples of chaos resulting from disclosures of automobile security vulnerabilities, even though car security is, in general, quite lax.
So kindly please, stop with the hyperbole and hysteria.
I like how you accuse me of hyperbole and hysteria, but at the same time use both the arguments "cars should be immobilised if there's no other way" (ie: should not be used) and "there are no real-world examples of chaos resulting from disclosures of automobile security vulnerabilities". Even theoretically, why immobilise so many cars if chaos won't result? You want to have your cake and eat it, too.
Regarding 'wholesale', in context the term just means 'non-selective' and didn't mean every brand on the road. This being said, the arrogance of "Alternatives exist" has got to be pointed out: what alternatives? If you immobilise all the VWs, how will those commuters now proceed? Rent another car? Buy another car? Some might be able to catch public transport, but hardly all.
This links back to what I said about ideal vs real world - you think that it's tenable to just take one brand of vehicles off the road, which is clearly nonsense. Even if there were no temporary fix, the real-world response to fixing the issue would be to leave the cars available to the owners. The idea that you'd even contemplate booting as a considered option is just farcical.
What you describe as "have your cake and eat it" is just a reasoned discussion. I first start with what I think is the most likely scenario, but then I also examine a potential worst-case scenario and show how it, too, can be dealt with.
You appear to be interested in an adversarial discussion in which you score as many points as possible, rather than a collaboration in which we enjoy ourselves and learn. I'm not interested in that, so I'll leave you to it.
I repeat for the third time: it is highly unlikely that there is no temporary workaround. Clip a wire, pop a fuse, remove a module, or whatever, one of these will get the job done for the moment.
Finally, even if these cars must be disabled in the interim, it's hardly "wholesale", since it's just one brand of many. Alternatives exist.
Security research is important. Does this paper hold the solution to free energy? No, but the precedent set will discourage further research in this area, which could result in leaving the power grid vulnerable to black hats.
You say I'm overstating the significance of this paper. I say you're vastly overstating the significance of this paper, in terms of what would happen to VW, to VW owners, and to society in general, if the information got out.
The chilling effect on security research of these kinds of actions is fairly well established. There are real-world examples of security researchers deciding not to work on a particular project because they fear persecution. That's a loss to society.
On the other hand, there are no real-world examples of chaos resulting from disclosures of automobile security vulnerabilities, even though car security is, in general, quite lax.
So kindly please, stop with the hyperbole and hysteria.