Hacking Connected License Plates

Last month device manufacturer Reviver was the subject of a significant jailbreak that affected their connected license plates.

(Just have to say it is always fun to see what kind of connected-devices are out there)

While this might not technically be a “Bluetooth hack,” it caught my eye as it exposes a vulnerability in the overall system design, where the security chain depends on hardware robustness.

In this case:

Not a Protocol Breach: The Bluetooth communication itself wasn’t compromised.

Not a Protocol Breach: The issue lies in the hardware’s response to power fluctuations.

Firmware Overwrite: Once the hardware’s defenses fail, firmware can be rewritten, enabling capabilities that would otherwise be restricted (such as jailbreaking digital license plates).

This incident underscores a critical principle in Bluetooth and IoT security:

the weakest link in the chain defines the system’s security. 

Even if the Bluetooth communication and app implementation are secure, vulnerabilities in other components (like hardware or firmware) can undermine the entire system.

Again, this kind of attack might not qualify as a traditional “Bluetooth hack,” but it’s a perfect case study in the importance of designing resilient systems across all layers.