10 Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry Tricks Experts Recommend
10 Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry Tricks Experts Recommend
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Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry
If car owners place their keys on the table or near their door, they may not realize that they are allowing thieves to steal their signal. This relay attack is just one of the latest techniques criminals are employing to steal new keyless cars.
All keyless ignition cars emit an extremely low-power radio signal, looking for a matching fob that can respond. If the signal is captured and recreated it can be used to unlock the car and begin it up.
Relay Attack
Imagine your car in your driveway, and your key fob inside your home. You may think your car is secure however, sophisticated thieves are planning a heist, without you even knowing. They use technology to hack into vehicles using digital chinks. Known as relay theft, it's an increasingly common method of stealing vehicles with keyless entry.
Keyless entry cars are designed to operate via signals that are transmitted by the car's remote control (RF) transmitter to the owner's key fob. To stop keyless entry by unauthorized individuals the RF transmitters on the key fob and the car are programmed only to activate when they are within a specific distance from each other. However, thieves can bypass this restriction by employing a method known as the'relay-attack'.
Two people are required to do this: one person stands close to the car and utilizes a device to capture an electronic version of the signal from the key fob. The other person, who is at the home of the owner and uses a different device to transmit the signal from the key fob back to the car. This trick tricks the car into thinking the key fob is close enough to be able to unlock it and start the engine.
This kind of heist used to require expensive equipment. You can now buy an inexpensive relay transmitter on the internet and complete an heist in a matter of minutes. This is why it's popular with car thieves.
All modern vehicles that have keyless access are at risk. Certain cars are more vulnerable to this kind of attack than others. Researchers have tested 237 of the most popular cars and found that every one of them can be stolen through this method.
Tesla vehicles are believed to be less prone to this kind of theft. However Tesla hasn't implemented UWB technology to allow it to perform distance checks and stop attacks via relay. The company has promised to make this happen in the near future, but until then they are vulnerable. Installing an anti-theft system that safeguards your keys and your car against such a threat is a proactive approach to ensure the security of your car.
CAN Injection Attack
Modern cars can protect themselves from thieves by exchanging encrypted messages with the key to verify its authenticity. This system is generally reckoned to be secure, but criminals have found a way to circumvent it. They can impersonate the smart key and send other messages to the car letting it unlock the doors, disable its engine immobilizer, and let them drive away. To achieve this, they need access to the smart keys' internal communications network.
Today, most cars are fitted with between 20 and 200 electronic control units (or ECUs) that manage different aspects of the car's operation. They communicate via a network called CAN bus. These ECUs are put into a low power sleep mode to lower their power consumption. This mode is activated when ECUs receive a "wake up" frame. These frames are typically sent by the ECU that is in charge of the smart key or door. These messages aren't always authenticated or encrypted. This means that criminals are able to take them over with the use of a cheap and simple device.
To do this, they look for a location where they can directly connect to the CAN bus connector wires. These are often hidden away within the headlights or in front of the vehicle, and can be accessed by pulling the bumper and cutting holes in the headlamp assembly to expose the wires. The thieves employ an instrument known as a CAN injection attack to send fake messages which can trick the security systems of the car to unlock and disable the engine immobilizer.
These devices are for sale on the Dark Web, and work for the majority of major car manufacturers which include BMW, Cadillac, Chrysler, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Jeep, Lexus, Nissan, Renault, Toyota, Volkswagen, Maserati, and more. The researchers who discovered this CAN Injection attack are recommending that all car makers address it in their existing models, but the fact is that the thieves will continue to take whatever they can get their hands on. We can prevent this by implementing mechanical safety measures, such as Discloks inside all our vehicles and parking them in well-lit, well-lit areas.
Jamming the Signal
In a different variant of the relay attack, thieves can use a gadget to jam the signal sent from the key fob when the vehicle is locked. The device could be in the pocket or hidden where a burglar is hiding on the parking lot, or even near the driveway being targeted. Owners aren't able to verify whether their vehicle is locked after pressing the lock button. Instead, thieves are able to escape with the vehicle because the signal that normally locks the car has been blocked by the crook's device.
The crooks also use devices to amplify the key fob's signals in order to unlock vehicles. The crooks can accomplish this even if the key is inside a pocket of a driver, or hanging from an outside hook in the home. Once the car has been unlocked, hackers can use the standard diagnostic port to program an unlocked fob.
Automobile manufacturers have come up with a variety of anti-theft solutions to safeguard against these types of attacks. But thieves always come up with ways to thwart these measures.
For example, they've started using devices that transmit on the same frequency as remote key fobs to intercept their signals. The thieves copy the unlock code of the key fob, and then start the vehicle using this fake signal.
This technique is particularly popular in the US where a lot of cars come with wireless technology. Owners can unlock and start their vehicle using a mobile application from their mobile. This technology is likely to gain popularity as more stolen keys and more companies attempt to connect their vehicles with their owner's smartphones.
In addition to installing anti-theft technologies in vehicles, it's important for drivers to leverage best practices when they park their cars. It is not advisable to leave the key fobs in ignition and should always lock the car when not in it. If they can, they should also use the gearstick or steering locking device. They should also consider fitting a tracking device to their vehicle in case it's stolen.
Flat Battery
This type of attack occurs more often than people realize. The thieves make use of low-cost devices that increase the signal from your key fob in order to unlock and start your car, even in the event that it is off. They then simply drive the car around a corner or onto a trailer to leave with it. Installing a starter circuit interruption switch would protect your car against this. The simplest ones just have an ON/OFF switch that interrupts the starter circuit. It costs around $15 and is simple to install.
Car thieves are always trying new ways to get into vehicles and take them away. The police as well as the car makers and insurance companies are constantly trying to catch up to their tactics and develop better anti-theft systems for the latest cars. But that doesn't stop thieves who are able to adapt quickly and find ways to get around the latest anti-theft measures.
A lot of thieves block the signal with devices that operate on the same radio frequency as the fob. They put the device in their pockets or somewhere near their vehicle, and it stops the fob's lock command from reaching the vehicle and thereby leaving it unlocked. This can be done in a matter of seconds. The device is inexpensive and readily available on the internet.
Hacking the computer system of the car is another option. This is more difficult but possible. Every car has a diagnostic port, and hackers have developed devices that connect to them and let them access the software in the car. They can then program the fob with blank code to function. It is possible to do this with older cars as well, but it's more difficult without taking out the ignition.
As more vehicles are linked to the phones of drivers, this method may become more popular too. Once a burglar has access to the username and password to a vehicle application and is able to unlock or start the vehicle with the application. You can protect yourself by not putting valuables inside your car, and parking in garages.