Ford "Quietly" Provides Sync 3 Security Vulnerability Warning

[Alaska Wolf]

egardless, 3.4.23088 fixed an issue I had been having with my new phone randomly not being able to make calls. AND, when I go to the Sync Update site it states I am up to date and lists my version as 3.4.23088.

Most likely does, I'm just giving you Ford Motor Company's official stance. As I said, I've been fighting with them for months over a potentially defective Sync system. Mine shipped from the factory with out of date software, which no one at Ford can explain, yet Ford's servers insisted that my system was "up to date." Actually had to take pictures of my Sync software version screen, and get the dealership to contact them, to convince them their server was wrong.

So now its apparently a "server side issue" even though I never saw version 3.4.22251 showing up as an available update before they yanked it. Hey, at least they finally sent me the most current out of date maps... Hopefully I'll know tomorrow if their "server side issue" is resolved, or my Ranger is still broken.

As far as Syn3 goes, it was put quite plainly to me that if I used it, it would void the warranty on my APIM and that any issues caused by "unathorized software" would most likely not be warrantied. After the 3.4.2251 debacle, I can wait, and they can either fix my system or replace my truck.

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[Jmarler]

I came across this article. A little misleading because of the years of the vehicles. Our vehicles have sync 3.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...-with-wifi-vulnerability-still-safe-to-drive/

 

[ControlNode]

Actually, Sync 3.4.21194 is the ONLY current official Ford stable version; believe me I've been going through this with Ford for months now. They did release 3.4.22251 in January, but then figured out that it was not ready for Prime Time and was causing serious problems for some vehicles so they yanked it back off line. A new "official" Ford sanctioned stable version has not been released yet, although Ford's IVT (In Vehicle Technology) team keeps telling me "soon". The Cyan Labs 3.4.23088 and 3.4.23188 versions are NOT official Ford releases, are not supported by Ford, and are only Engineering versions attempting to fix the problems introduced in the aborted 3.4.22251. Ford does not consider either to be a stable release or bug free.

Depends on the vehicle. With my Focus the current version is 3.0.20204.

 

[Phantomfixer]

Most likely does, I'm just giving you Ford Motor Company's official stance. As I said, I've been fighting with them for months over a potentially defective Sync system. Mine shipped from the factory with out of date software, which no one at Ford can explain, yet Ford's servers insisted that my system was "up to date." Actually had to take pictures of my Sync software version screen, and get the dealership to contact them, to convince them their server was wrong.

So now its apparently a "server side issue" even though I never saw version 3.4.22251 showing up as an available update before they yanked it. Hey, at least they finally sent me the most current out of date maps... Hopefully I'll know tomorrow if their "server side issue" is resolved, or my Ranger is still broken.

As far as Syn3 goes, it was put quite plainly to me that if I used it, it would void the warranty on my APIM and that any issues caused by "unathorized software" would most likely not be warrantied. After the 3.4.2251 debacle, I can wait, and they can either fix my system or replace my truck.

Mine is going back in for the seventh time of parts replacement.I know they will never fix this but I'm at a loss for what to do about it.This all started after the last update

 

[VAMike]

ford sucks at consumer electronics, just like every other car manufacturer. this is not news or a surprise. ford will never really fix this stuff, their strategy is to faff about and run down the clock until the systems are so obsolete that nobody cares anymore.

 

[Ohwell]

3.4.22251 is what came on my 2023 June build. I haven't noticed any problems yet.

 

[Alaska Wolf]

Depends on the vehicle. With my Focus the current version is .

That's because its a 2016 which is a Sync 3.0 vehicle, my 2019 Explorer is exactly the same version, even though 2020 Explorers are Sync 3.4 but use the exact same APIM. Version 3.0.20204 is the official Ford stable release for Sync 3 ver 3.0 vehicles. For Sync 3.4 vehicles, Sync 3.4.21194 is the current official Ford stable version.

 

[Alaska Wolf]

ford sucks at consumer electronics, just like every other car manufacturer. this is not news or a surprise. ford will never really fix this stuff, their strategy is to faff about and run down the clock until the systems are so obsolete that nobody cares anymore.

Yeah, I'm just waiting to see what Ford hiring Peter Stern away from Apple to lead a newly created division focused on developing and marketing software-enabled customer experiences is actually going to mean. Are we going the Tesla route and doing subscriptions for heated seats? I know with Sync 4 Ford really seem to be trying to push subscription map services which apparently disables the entire map interface if the subscription lapses. Nope, if its going to have a Nav system, it better be embedded or I won't buy it. It's pretty obvious that these people coming up with these ideas have never lived in parts of the country where cell service is still imaginary.

 

[Alaska Wolf]

Mine is going back in for the seventh time of parts replacement.I know they will never fix this but I'm at a loss for what to do about it.This all started after the last update

I feel your pain Phantom. Which software update broke your system? Fortunately, or not, mine came broke from the factory and I've already laid the Lemon Law option on the table since Ford advertises Sync as being an "important and integral part of new Ford vehicles." I'd actually rather they just fixed the damned thing, or fix their servers, or just fix whatever it is that isn't working...

 

[Alaska Wolf]

3.4.22251 is what came on my 2023 June build. I haven't noticed any problems yet.

3.4.22251 is what came on my 2023 June build. I haven't noticed any problems yet.

That's good! But according to Ford IVT, the reason they snatched the 3.4.22251 update away so fast was because it was causing "serious issues in some vehicles." Which vehicles, and what issues they declined to clarify. I do know some Bronco Sports have had big issues and its big enough that even Cyan Labs has posted a warning about Build: 22251.

 

[ControlNode]

That's good! But according to Ford IVT, the reason they snatched the 3.4.22251 update away so fast was because it was causing "serious issues in some vehicles." Which vehicles, and what issues they declined to clarify. I do know some Bronco Sports have had big issues and its big enough that even Cyan Labs has posted a warning about Build: 22251.

Oddly, Ford still shows that version as an update for my Ranger.

 

[Alaska Wolf]

Oddly, Ford still shows that version as an update for my Ranger.

Well, this is the response I got from Ford IVT.

"Thank you for verifying your mailing address. According to the engineers, the 22251 update was pulled from the Ford.com website and the cloud due to recent reports that users were experiencing serious bugs within the software.

There is a new update being released soon that will resolve the bugs in the 22251 build. There hasn’t been an ETA on when it’ll be released, but you will see it available for download on https://www.ford.com/support/sync-maps-updates when it is."

And as you can see, mine still says there are no available updates.

 

[Curtzilla]

410th BW and 17th RW myself. Today's AF could take a lesson or 12.

Retired AFSOC

 

[Ohwell]

Well, this is the response I got from Ford IVT.

"Thank you for verifying your mailing address. According to the engineers, the 22251 update was pulled from the Ford.com website and the cloud due to recent reports that users were experiencing serious bugs within the software.

There is a new update being released soon that will resolve the bugs in the 22251 build. There hasn’t been an ETA on when it’ll be released, but you will see it available for download on https://www.ford.com/support/sync-maps-updates when it is."

And as you can see, mine still says there are no available updates.

Well, this is the response I got from Ford IVT.

"Thank you for verifying your mailing address. According to the engineers, the 22251 update was pulled from the Ford.com website and the cloud due to recent reports that users were experiencing serious bugs within the software.

There is a new update being released soon that will resolve the bugs in the 22251 build. There hasn’t been an ETA on when it’ll be released, but you will see it available for download on https://www.ford.com/support/sync-maps-updates when it is."

And as you can see, mine still says there are no available updates.

I just installed the map update, it restarted once then said it was updating again. When all was done the message told me I had a sync update so I checked and I still have the same version of sync, but the screen boots up much faster then it did before the update. Maps is the new version.

 

[SilverSlugger]

Im pretty positive I'm on an old version, if its up to me it's never getting updated. It works and works with my iphone, I don't care about anything else. Car manufacturers are comically bad at infotainment, even Teslas suck.

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