Federal officials issued a warning this week that the threat of cars being hacked is real.

An alert released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Transportation Department on Thursday said manufacturers and drivers must be aware of the security risks modern cars carry, given that today’s vehicles are connected and have wireless capability.

Research has found that hackers could gain “significant control” over a vehicle’s functions by connecting with it remotely, the alert says. “While not all hacking incidents may result in a risk to safety — such as an attacker taking control of a vehicle — it is important that consumers take appropriate steps to minimize risk,” it adds.

In July, two hackers took over a Jeep that was driving along the highway from more than 10 miles away as part of a demo with a Wired reporter. In the demo, the security researchers took control of the Jeep’s steering, brakes and transmission using a laptop.

A report released by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) in 2014 found that nearly all cars are vulnerable to hacking. There haven’t been reports of consumers’ cars being hacked, outside of experiments by security researchers involving drivers that have agreed to partake.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is “actively working on several initiatives” to improve vehicle cybersecurity, the FBI said. In the meantime, here are several steps the alert says drivers can take:

Know if your car’s software needs to be updated

Tesla TSLA, +4.42% automatically pushes software updates to its cars. After security researchers discovered several vulnerabilities last year, Tesla worked to send updates to all its cars within two weeks.

But other car makers don’t work that way. Chrysler FCAU, -3.46% issued a recall for at least 1.4 million vehicles last year to fix software bugs. Check your car manufacturer’s website to see if any recalls or software updates have been issued. ​The company didn’t respond to a request for comment on whether any changes had been made to its policy.

Be careful if you’re modifying the car’s software

“Making unauthorized modifications to vehicle software may not only impact the normal operation of your vehicle, but it may introduce new vulnerabilities that could be exploited by an attacker,” the FBI alert says. What’s more, such modifications may also impact the way in which authorized software updates can be installed on the vehicle, it adds.

Be aware of what devices you connect to your car

Before connecting a phone or other devices to your car’s diagnostic port, think about whether you can trust them. Usually, only maintenance technicians use diagnostic ports to test the car. The alert says there’s been an increase in the number of third-party devices designed by non-manufacturers available, and that drivers should exercise caution. One researcher hacked a car via an insurance dongle, which connects to your car and tell the insurance company how you drive.

Don’t leave your car stranded and unlocked

The most obvious precaution can sometimes be overlooked. “In much the same way as you would not leave your personal computer or smartphone unlocked, in an unsecure location, or with someone you don’t trust, it is important that you maintain awareness of those who may have access to your vehicle,” the FBI alert says.