15 Shocking Facts About Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry That You Never Knew
15 Shocking Facts About Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry That You Never Knew
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Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry
If car owners place their keys on the table or at their door, they may unknowingly be allowing thieves to steal their signal. This relay attack is one of the advanced methods criminals are using to steal new keyless vehicles.
Keyless ignition cars emit a 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 start it up.
Relay Attack
Imagine your car safely parked in your driveway, with the key fob tucked away in your home. You may be confident that your car is secure but sophisticated thieves are planning a heist without you knowing. They use technology to hack into vehicles via digital chinks. This is known as relay theft, it's becoming a popular method of stealing cars with keyless entry.
The keyless entry system found in cars is controlled by a signal sent by the car's radio transmitter to the key fob. To stop keyless entry by unauthorised persons the RF transmitters that are on the key fob and the car are programmed only to turn on when they are within a specified distance from one another. The thief can bypass this restriction by employing a technique called the "relay-attack".
To accomplish this two people work together One stands near the car and uses an instrument that records an electronic version of the key fob's signal. The other person, who is at home with the owner, uses a second gadget to transmit the signal from the key fob to the car. This trickery tricks the car into believing that the key fob is at the distance needed to allow it to be opened and started the vehicle.
In the past, this kind of heist required expensive equipment to perform. However, now you can pick up relay transmitters for low cost online and conduct a heist in minutes. This is the reason why car thieves are enthralled by it.
All modern cars with keys are at risk. Certain vehicles are more vulnerable to this type of attack than others. Researchers have tested 237 popular automobiles and found that all of them can be stolen by this method.
Tesla vehicles are supposedly less susceptible to this type of theft, however Tesla hasn't yet implemented UWB features that could effectively conduct distance checks on the car's signal to protect against relay attacks. The company has said that they'll implement this in the near future, but until then they are vulnerable. Installing an anti-theft system that safeguards your car keys and your keys against such a threat is a proactive approach to ensure your car's security.
CAN Injection Attack
Modern vehicles are designed to protect themselves from theft by exchanging cryptographic data with the key to prove that it's genuine. The system is considered to be safe, but thieves have found ways to get around it. They fake the identity of the smart key, then send messages to the vehicle, and then drive off. To do this, they get access to the smart key's internal communications network.
Today, most cars are equipped with between 20 and over 200 electronic control units, or ECUs, that manage various aspects of the vehicle's operation. They communicate through an electronic network known as CAN bus. To ensure that power consumption is low they ECUs enter the sleep mode at low power. This mode is activated when they receive a wake up' frame. These frames are usually sent by the ECU that manages the smart key or door. However the messages aren't usually authenticated or encrypted and, therefore, could be snatched by criminals using a cheap and simple device.
To do this, they look for a place where they can directly connect to the CAN bus wires. These are often hidden away within the headlights or in front of the car and are accessible by pulling the bumper and cutting holes in the headlamp assembly to expose them. The thieves use the device referred to as an CAN injection attack. It is used to send out fake messages that fool the safety systems of the car to unlock and disable the engine immobilizer.
These devices are available for purchase on the Dark Web, and work for the majority of major car makers including BMW, Cadillac, Chrysler, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Jeep, Lexus, Nissan, Renault, Toyota, Volkswagen, Maserati, and many more. The researchers who discovered this CAN Injection attack are recommending that all car makers fix it in their existing models, but the reality is that thieves will continue to grab everything they can lay their hands on. We can stop this by implementing mechanical safety measures such as Discloks in all our vehicles and parking them in well-lit, well-lit areas.
Blocking the Signal
In a different variant of the relay attack, thieves can employ a device to block the signal that is sent by a key fob when the car is locked. The device could be found hidden in the pocket of a burglar in a parking area or in a hiding spot close to the driveway that is being targeted. Owners don't check whether the vehicle is locked when they press the lock button. The device used by the crook interferes with the signal to lock the car. Therefore, thieves can escape with the car.
They also use devices that amplify signals from the key fob to unlock vehicles. The crooks can accomplish this even if the key is inside a driver's pocket, or hanging from a hook inside the home. After the car is locked, hackers can use a standard diagnosis port to create a blank fob.
Automobile manufacturers have developed a range of anti-theft systems to guard against these kinds of attacks. However, criminals are constantly finding ways to beat these measures.
They've been using devices that transmit at the same frequency as remote keyfobs in order to intercept signals. The crooks can then copy the key fob's unlock code and start the car with this fake signal.
This method is especially popular in the US, where many cars come with wireless technology. Owners can unlock and start their vehicle by using a mobile app on their smartphone. This technology is likely to become more popular as more manufacturers try to connect their vehicles with their owners' smartphones.
In addition to implementing anti-theft systems website in vehicles, it's crucial for drivers to follow the best practices when they park their cars. It is not a good idea to leave key fobs in the ignition. They should always make sure the vehicle is locked completely when they're not using it and should utilize a steering wheel or gearstick lock if possible. They should also consider installing a tracking device to their car in case it is stolen.
Flat Battery
This type of attack is more common than most people realize. Thieves make use of cheap devices to extend the signal from your key fob to unlock and begin a car even when it's switched off. Then they drive the car to the trailer or around a corner and take it away. Installing a starter circuit interruption switch would protect your car against this. Simpler versions come with an ON/OFF button which interrupts the circuit. It costs about $15 and is simple to put in yourself.
Car thieves are always looking for new ways to get into vehicles and then steal them. The police as well as the car makers and insurance companies are constantly trying to keep up to their tactics and provide better anti-theft systems for the latest cars. However, this does not stop thieves who are able to adapt quickly and find ways to circumvent the latest anti-theft technology.
A lot of thieves block the signal by using a device that uses the same radio frequency as the fob. They place the device in their pockets or near their vehicle, and it prevents the fob's lock command from reaching the vehicle which leaves it unlocked. This can be done in a matter of minutes. The device is inexpensive and easily available online.
Hacking the computer system of the car is an alternative option. This is more difficult, but nevertheless feasible. Hackers have designed devices that plug into the diagnostic port of all cars and allow them to connect to the software. They can then program the fob with blank code to function. It is possible to do this on older vehicles as well but it's more difficult if you remove the ignition.
This technique could become more popular if more vehicles are connected to drivers' mobile phones. Once a thief has access to the username and password to a vehicle application, they can unlock or start the vehicle by using the app. You can help be safe from these kinds of attacks by not putting valuables in your car and parking it in a garage or secured parking lot.