This Week in Tesla: Changes Coming to Model 3, FBI and Tesla Prevented Ransomware Hack at Tesla Gigafactory Nevada

Changes Coming to Model 3 -

With the release of the Model Y, it is easy to think that Tesla’s attention has gotten away from the Model 3, but that is not the case. There have been several recent and upcoming changes coming to the Model 3, mostly based on technology from the Model Y being introduced to the 3.  One example is that several new Model 3 owners who have taken delivery recently have noticed that the front trunk on the Model 3’s being produced recently is a bit smaller than older Model 3’s. This is likely due to the upcoming addition of the heat pump used in the Model Y. The heat pump is an impressive feature that saves range, especially when in cold conditions by heating the battery, rather than the battery heating itself. Another change that the Model 3 will likely adopt from the Model Y is the black trim, as opposed to the chrome trim that is currently equipped on the Model 3. There are also currently rumors that the Model 3 will get a power trunk, a feature included on the Model Y.

FBI and Tesla Prevented Ransomware Hack on Tesla Gigafactory -

This week, the FBI released the information on Igor Igorevich Kriuchkov, a 27 year old Russian man and part of a group who attempted to lure a Russian-speaking Tesla employee to install malware on a Tesla company computer. Ransomware is a type of malware that can be installed in a computer system (ie. schools, hospitals, businesses) and hold all stored information ransom, until the victim pays the cybercriminals. Kriuchkov met with the Tesla employee several times before offering to pay him $1 million to install the ransomware from within. Luckily, Tesla has good hiring practices, as the employee did not refuse, but immediately reported it to Tesla, who in turn reported it to the FBI. The FBI launched a sting investigation which involved the Tesla employee wearing a wire to several liaisons to plot the cyberattack. If the Tesla employee did not do the right thing and the attack had gone through, it would have possibly resulted in operations being temporarily suspended at the Nevada Gigafactory, as well as Tesla having to pay millions to retrieve their data.

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