15 Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry Benefits Everyone Should Be Able To
15 Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry Benefits Everyone Should Be Able To
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Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry
Car owners who toss keys on tables or near their front door could be giving thieves the ability to take over the signal. This relay attack is a highly-tech method used by criminals to steal keys from new vehicles.
All keyless ignition cars emit an low-power radio signal that is in search of a fob to respond. If the signal is recorded and recreated, it could be used to unlock the car and then start it up.
Relay Attack
Picture your car parked securely in your driveway, with the key fob safely inside your home. You're confident that your car is safe, but unnoticed by you, sophisticated thieves are plotting an attack. Instead of breaking windows or jimmying locks, these thieves are leveraging technology to gain access to cars through digital chinks in their armor. This method of stealing cars that have keys is known as relay theft.
The keyless entry system found in cars is controlled by a signal by the car's RF transmitter to the key fob. To ensure that keyless entry is not accessed by unauthorised persons, the RF transmitters on the key fob and the car are programmed to turn on when they are within a certain distance from one another. However, a thief can override this restriction using a technique called the 'relay attack'.
To accomplish this two people work in tandem One stands near the car with a device that captures a digitized version of the key fob's signal. The other, who is at the home of the owner is using a second device to transmit the signal from the key fob to the car. This trick tricked the car into thinking the key fob is near enough to be able to unlock it and start it up.
In the past, this kind of attack required expensive equipment to perform. You can now buy a cheap relay transmitter online and pull off a heist within minutes. This is the reason it's popular among car thieves.
While certain cars are less prone to this type of theft than others, all modern cars that have keyless entry are vulnerable. Researchers have tested 237 popular cars and found that every one of them are susceptible to being stolen by this method.
Tesla cars are said to be less prone to this kind of theft, however, the company hasn't yet implemented UWB features to effectively check distances on the car's signal to prevent relay attacks. The company has stated that they will implement this in the near future, but until then, they are vulnerable. That is why it's important to take a proactive approach to your vehicle security and install an anti-theft kit which protects your keys as well as your vehicle from these kinds of attacks.
CAN Injection Attack
Modern vehicles are designed to protect themselves from theft by transferring cryptographic messages using the key to prove that it's authentic. This method is generally thought to be secure, but thieves have found a way to circumvent it. They just impersonate the smart key and send messages to the vehicle letting it unlock the doors, turn off its engine immobilizer, then let them go on their way. To do this, they gain access to the smart keys' internal communications network.
Today, most automobiles are equipped with between 20 to 200 electronic control units (or ECUs) that manage different aspects of the car's operation. They communicate via a network called CAN bus. To keep power consumption low the ECUs enter a low-power sleep mode that's activated when they receive a 'wake up' frame. These frames typically come through the door or a smart key receiver ECU. However the messages aren't usually authenticated or encrypted so they can be intercepted by criminals using a cheap and simple device.
They search for a location where they can connect directly to the wires of the CAN connection. They usually are hidden in the headlights, or in other places in the front of the vehicle. To access them, you must remove the bumper and make holes in the headlamp assemblies. The thieves employ the device referred to as an CAN injection attack. It is used to send out fake messages that can trick the security systems of the car into unlocking and disengaging the engine immobilizer.
The devices are available for purchase on the Dark Web, and work for most of the major car makers including BMW, Cadillac, Chrysler, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Jeep, Lexus, Nissan, Renault, Toyota, Volkswagen, Maserati, and many more. Researchers who have discovered the CAN Injection attack recommend that all car makers fix this issue in their existing models. However, these criminals will continue taking any opportunity they can. The best we can do is to attempt to stop this from happening by installing security measures that are mechanical like Discloks on our cars, and making sure that they're always placed in areas that are well-lit and are easily visible to pedestrians.
Jamming the Signal
In a different variation of the relay attack, thieves can make use of a device to block the signal that is sent by the key fob when the car is locked. The device may be hidden in the pocket of a thief in a parking space or in a hideout near the driveway that is being targeted. When owners hit the button to lock their fobs and leave, they don't think about whether or not the car is really locked. The device of the crook block the signal that locks the vehicle. Therefore, thieves could leave the vehicle.
They also make use of devices that amplify signals from the key fob to unlock vehicles. They may even do this when the key is inside the pocket of the driver or hanging from its hook in the home. After the car is locked, hackers can use an ordinary diagnosis port to program a blank fob.
Automobile manufacturers have come up with various anti-theft devices to safeguard against these types of attacks. However, criminals are constantly trying to beat these measures.
They've begun using devices that transmit at the same frequency as remote keyfobs in order to intercept signals. The crooks can then copy the unlock code of the key fob and then start the car with 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 through a mobile application on their phone. This technology is expected to become more popular as more and more manufacturers try to connect their vehicles to their owners' smartphones.
It is website essential that drivers follow the best practices to park their cars. They should never leave their key fobs in the ignition, and should always make sure the car is fully locked when they're not there and should use an engine or steering wheel lock if possible. It is also recommended to think about installing a tracking device onto their vehicle in the event it's stolen.
Flat Battery
This kind of attack happens more often than people realize. Thieves employ cheap devices to extend the signal from your key fob to unlock and begin cars even if they're switched off. Then they drive the vehicle to an unmarked trailer or around a corner, and take the car away. It is possible to protect your car from this by installing an interrupter switch for the starter circuit. The simplest ones just have an ON/OFF switch that interrupts the starter circuit. It's about $15 and is easy to install.
Car thieves are always looking for new ways to enter vehicles and then steal them. Car manufacturers, police and insurance companies are constantly trying to keep up with the latest methods and offer more effective anti-theft systems for modern vehicles. But that doesn't stop thieves who are able adapt quickly and find ways to get around the most up-to-date anti-theft systems.
For instance, a lot of criminals employ devices that operate on the same frequency as the fob to block the signal. They place the device in their pockets or somewhere close to their vehicle, and it prevents the fob's lock command from reaching the car which leaves the vehicle unlocked. This can be done in just a few seconds. The device is cheap and can be purchased online.
Another option is to hack into the car's computer system. This is more difficult, but still feasible. Hackers have developed devices that connect to the diagnostic port of all vehicles and allow them to connect to the software. They can then program the fob with blank code to work. It is possible to do this on older vehicles also, but it's more difficult without taking out the ignition.
As more vehicles are connected to the phones of drivers and this method could become more popular too. Once a criminal has access to the username and password to a vehicle application and is able to unlock or start the vehicle using the app. Fortunately, you can defend yourself from these kinds of attacks by not putting valuables in your car and parking it in a garage or secured parking lot.