Are Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry As Important As Everyone Says?
Are Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry As Important As Everyone Says?
Blog Article
Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry
If car owners leave their keys on the table or next to their doors, they may unknowingly be allowing thieves to steal their signal. This relay attack is one of the advanced methods criminals are using to steal brand new keyless vehicles.
Keyless ignition vehicles emit a low-power radio signal seeking a compatible fob to 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 in your driveway, and your key fob inside your home. You might think that your vehicle is secure, but sophisticated thieves are planning to steal your car without you being aware. Instead of slamming windows or jiggling locks, these thieves are leveraging technology to hack into cars via digital chinks in their armor. Known as relay theft, it's an increasingly common way to steal cars with keyless entry.
The keyless entry system in cars is controlled by a signal sent from the car's RF transmitter to the key fob. To prevent unauthorized keyless entry, the RF transmitters in the key fob and car are programmed to activate only when they're within certain distance from one another. However, thieves can bypass this limitation with a technique known as the'relay attack'.
To do so two people work in tandem one is positioned by the car with a device that captures digitally the key fob's signal. The other person who is at the owner's home is using a second 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 it up.
This type of attack used to require expensive equipment. However, now you can buy relay transmitters on the cheap online and execute an heist in a matter of minutes. This is why car thieves are enthralled by it.
While certain cars are less susceptible to this type of theft than others, all modern cars with keyless entry are at risk. Researchers have tested 237 of the most popular cars and found that all of them could be taken using this method.
Tesla vehicles are believed to be less vulnerable to this kind of theft. However Tesla hasn't implemented UWB technologies that would allow it to perform distance checks and stop relay attacks. The company has stated that they will implement this in the future but until then they are vulnerable. That is why it's important to adopt a proactive approach to your security in your car and install an anti-theft device that protects your keys and car from these types of attacks.
CAN Injection Attack
Modern vehicles can defend themselves from thieves by transferring encrypted messages using the key in order to prove its authenticity. The system is considered to be safe, but criminals have found ways to circumvent it. They simply impersonate the smart key, and send messages to the vehicle letting it unlock the doors, disable its engine immobilizer, and then leave the car. To do that they have access to the smart key's internal communication network.
These days, most cars are fitted with between 20 and 200 electronic control units (or ECUs) that control various aspects of the car's operation. They communicate using a network called CAN bus. To reduce power consumption, these ECUs are put into sleep mode with low power that is activated when they receive a 'wake up frame. These frames typically come via the door or smart key receiver ECU. However the messages aren't usually encrypted or authenticated so they could be snatched by criminals using a cheap and basic device.
To accomplish this, they search for a location where they can directly connect to the CAN bus connection wires. They are usually hidden in the headlights or in front of the car, and can be accessed by pulling the bumper off and cutting holes in the headlamp assembly to expose them. The thieves use an instrument known as an CAN injection attack to send out fake messages that can trick the security systems of the car into unlocking and disengaging the engine immobilizer.
These devices can be purchased through the Dark Web and work with most major car manufacturers, including BMW and Cadillac, Chrysler, Fiat and Ford, Honda, Hyundai and Jeep, Lexus and Nissan, Renault and Toyota, Volkswagen and Maserati. The researchers who discovered this CAN Injection attack are recommending that all car manufacturers fix it in their existing models, but the fact is that these thieves will continue to steal whatever they can get their hands on. The best thing we can do is to try and prevent this by installing security measures that are mechanical like Discloks on all our vehicles, and making sure that they are always placed in areas that are well-lit and are easily visible to pedestrians.
Blocking the Signal
In a variation of the relay attack, which makes use of a device that can be used to block the signal transmitted by the key fob when the car is locked. The device could be found inside the pocket of a burglar in a parking lot or in a hidden spot near the driveway being targeted. Once owners press the lock button on their fobs and walk away and leave, they don't have to think about whether or not the car is actually locks. Instead, thieves can drive off with the vehicle because the signal that normally locks the car has been blocked by the crook's device.
They also make use of devices that amplify signals from the key fob to unlock vehicles. They can do this while the key is inside the pocket of the driver or hanging from a hook in the house. After the car is locked, hackers can use a standard diagnosis port to create the fob with a blank.
Car manufacturers have come up with a variety of anti-theft solutions to safeguard against these types of attacks. But, as always, thieves come up with ways to thwart these measures.
For instance, they've begun using devices that transmit on the same radio frequency as remote key fobs in order to intercept their signals. The crooks then copy the unlock code from the key fob, and then start the vehicle using this fake signal.
This technique is especially popular in the US and Europe where many automobiles are equipped with wireless technology that allows owners to unlock and start their vehicles using a mobile app on their phone. This technology is likely to become more popular as more and more car manufacturers try to connect their vehicles to their owners' smartphones.
It is essential that drivers use best practices when parking their vehicles. They should not leave the key fobs in ignition and should always lock the car when they are not in it. If they can it is also recommended to use a steering or gearstick locking device. They should also consider fitting a tracking device to their vehicle in case it is stolen.
Flat Battery
This kind of attack happens more often than most people realize. The thieves employ low-cost devices that increase the signal of your key fob to enable it to unlock and start your car if it is off. They then drive the car around a corner or onto a trailer to then drive off with it. Installing an interruption switch to the starter circuit will protect your vehicle from this. Simpler versions come with an ON/OFF button that shuts off the circuit. It costs around $15 and is simple to install.
Car thieves are always trying new ways to gain access to vehicles and take them away. The police, car makers and insurance companies are always trying to keep up to their tactics and develop better anti-theft systems for modern vehicles. However, this doesn't stop thieves who can easily adapt and find ways to circumvent the most recent anti-theft measures.
For instance, many thieves use devices that operate on the same frequency as the fob to jam the signal. The device is placed in the pocket or close by the vehicle and prevents the fob from sending the lock command to the car. This can be accomplished in just a few seconds. The device is affordable and readily available online.
Hacking the computer system of the car is another option. This is more difficult but possible. Hackers have created devices that connect to the diagnostic port of all vehicles and allow them to connect to the software. From there, they can program the blank key fob to make it work. It is also possible to do this on older cars, although it is more difficult without removing the ignition lock.
This technique could be more popular if more vehicles are connected to drivers' mobile phones. Once a burglar has gained the username and password to a vehicle app, they can then unlock or start the car with the app on their phone. You can guard read more yourself by not putting valuables in your car and by parking in a garage.