Comprehensive List Of Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry Dos And Don'ts

Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry

Car owners who toss their keys on tables or in front of 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 keyless vehicles.

Keyless ignition vehicles 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

Imagine your car safely at your driveway, with your key fob in your home. You may be confident that your car is safe but sophisticated thieves are planning a heist, without you knowing. Instead of slamming windows or jiggling locks, thieves are using technology to gain access to cars through digital cracks in their armor. This method of stealing cars that have keyless access is known as relay theft.

The keyless entry system found in cars is controlled by a signal sent by the car's RF transmitter to the key fob. To ensure that keyless entry is not unauthorized the RF transmitters inside the key fob as well as in the car are programmed to activate only when they're within certain distance from each other. However, a thief can overcome this limitation using a technique known as the'relay attack'.

Two individuals are required to perform this: one person stands close to the car and uses a device to capture digitally the signal from the key fob. The other, in the vicinity of the owner's house is using a different device to send the key fob's signal down to the car. This trick tricked the car into thinking the key fob is close enough to unlock and begin the engine.

In the past, this type of heist required expensive equipment to perform. Now, you can buy relay transmitters on the inexpensive online market and carry out the heist in just a few minutes. This is the reason why car thieves love it.

All modern vehicles with keyless access are vulnerable. Some cars are more vulnerable to this type of attack than others. In fact researchers have examined 237 vehicles that are popular and found that they can all be stolen using this method.

Tesla cars are said to be less susceptible to this type of theft, but the company hasn't yet implemented UWB features to effectively conduct distance checks on the car's signal and protect against relay attacks. The company has promised to make this happen in the near future, but for now they are still vulnerable. Installing an anti-theft device that protects both your keys and your car against these types of attacks is a proactive way to ensure the security of your car.

CAN Injection Attack

Modern cars can guard themselves from thieves by exchanging encrypted messages with the key in order to prove its authenticity. The system is considered to be secure, however thieves have found ways to get around it. They fake the identity of a smart key, send messages to the vehicle, and then drive off. To accomplish this, they have access to the smart keys' internal communication network.

These days, most cars are equipped with between 20 and 200 electronic control units (or ECUs) that control various aspects of the car's operation. They communicate using the CAN bus network. These ECUs are put into a low power sleep mode to lower their power consumption. This mode is activated when ECUs receive an "wake up" frame. These frames are usually sent by the ECU that is in charge of the smart key or door. However they aren't always encrypted or authenticated, which means that they can be intercepted by criminals using a cheap and basic device.

They look for a place that allows them to connect directly to the CAN connection wires. They usually hide in the headlights or in other locations in the front of the vehicle. To get them, you need to pull the bumper and cut holes in the headlamp assemblies. The thieves employ the device referred to as an CAN injection attack. It is used to send fake messages which can trick the security systems of the car into unlocking and disengaging the engine immobilizer.

The devices are available for sale 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 address it in their existing models, but the reality is that these thieves will continue to grab anything they can get their hands on. We can stop this from happening by installing mechanical safety measures, such as Discloks inside all of our cars and parking them in well-lit, well-lit areas.

Blocking the Signal

In a variant different to the relay attack, thieves can use here a gadget to jam the signal from a key fob when the vehicle is locked. The device may be in the pocket of a thief in a parking space or in a hidden spot close to the driveway that is being targeted. Owners don't check if the vehicle is locked when they press the lock button. The device used by the crook block the signal that locks the car. Therefore, thieves could drive away with the vehicle.

They also use devices that amplify signals from the key fob to unlock vehicles. The crooks are able to do this even if the key is in the driver's pocket or hanging from an outside hook in the home. Once the car is locked, they can use the standard computer hacker to program an unlocked key fob to gain control of the vehicle.

To protect against this type of attack, car manufacturers have come up with a range of anti-theft gadgets. But, thieves are constantly trying to beat these measures.

They've been using devices that transmit at the same frequency as remote keyfobs in order to intercept signals. The thieves copy the unlock code from the key fob and start the vehicle using this fake signal.

This method is very popular in the US and Europe where a lot of vehicles are sold with wireless technology that lets owners unlock and start their vehicles using a mobile app on their smartphone. This technology will likely be more commonplace as more car manufacturers attempt to connect their vehicles with their owners' smartphones.

In addition to implementing anti-theft systems in vehicles, it's vital for drivers to leverage best practices when they park their cars. They should never leave their key fobs in the ignition. They should always make sure the vehicle is locked completely when they're not using it and should make use of the steering wheel or a gearstick lock if possible. They should also think about installing a tracking device to their car in case it's stolen.

Flat Battery

This kind of attack occurs more often than most people realize. Thieves employ inexpensive devices to extend the signal from your key fob to unlock and start a car even when it's turned off. Then they drive the car to a trailer or around a corner and take the car away. It is possible to protect your vehicle from this by installing an interrupter for the starter circuit. The simplest ones are an ON/OFF switch that interrupts the starter circuit. It costs around $15 and is easy to install.

Car thieves are always trying new ways to enter vehicles and then steal them. The police, car makers and insurance companies are constantly trying to keep up to their tactics and offer better anti-theft solutions for modern cars. However, that doesn't stop thieves who are able to adapt quickly and find ways to circumvent the most recent anti-theft measures.

Many thieves jam the signal using devices that operate on the same radio frequency of the fob. 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 done in a matter of minutes. The device is cheap and available on the internet.

Hacking the computer system of the car is another option. This is more difficult but feasible. Hackers have developed devices that plug into the diagnostic port of all vehicles and permit them to connect to the software. From there, they are able to program the blank key fob to get it to work. It is also possible to do this on older cars, although it is more difficult to do without removal of the ignition lock.

This method could become more popular if more vehicles are connected to drivers' mobile phones. Once a thief gets the username and password to an app for vehicles and then they can open the car or get it started by using the app on their phone. You can help defend yourself from these kinds of attacks by not leaving valuables in your car and parking it in a secure garage or parking lot.