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Revealed: car industry was warned keyless vehicles vulnerable to theft a decade ago
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 26 Feb 2024
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No shit.
I mean not to side with the car industry, and not to dog on non-tech folks, but if you bought a push to start engine that doesn't require a key...
...
Like how do you think it works?! You couldn't have thought it was very different from your TV remote, and everyone knows universal remotes exist. In glad there's so much talk about moving away from passwords and over to physical security keys for computers.
Rolling codes...
This article is stupid, the reason Kias and Hyundai are being stolen, is they lack an immobilizer.
So you break the window, crack open the steering column, and the part you turn conveniently is the same size as a USB plugin.
It's acting like people are hijacking codes, because the author has no idea what they're talking about about.
I'm not sure about what the article is referencing, which is probably a little more exotic, but relay attacks are very common against keyless cars. Keyless cars are constantly pinging for their matching fob. A relay attack just involves a repeater antenna held outside the car that repeats the signal between the car and the fob inside the house. Since many people leave the fob near the front of the house, it works and allows thieves to enter and start the car. Canada has has a big problem with car thieves using relay attacks to then drive cars into shipping containers and then sell them overseas.
Maybe you should read the article?
If you did, you'd probably be able to see the author has no idea what's going on.
Like, the international crime ring that you're talking about that gets cars halfway around the globe in a few weeks?
That happens, but it's not why so many Kias and Hyundai are being stolen thousands of miles from a coast
I did read the article. I'm unfamiliar with the "hacking" tools or methods they mention given they use terms like emulator. I was simply sharing one wireless attack that is common in certain areas and why.
Don you have a good article discussing how this communication from car to key fob works?
Every fob like this that I've seen isn't effective unless the key is close to the car (inches), because it uses a no-power system in the key fob, similar to a card reader (so no battery required in the fob to unlock car and start engine, once in close proximity). I've tested this on a few cars by removing the battery in the key fob.
Other functions (door locks, remote start etc), seem to be provided by conventional key fob electronics.
I'm sure there are several different ways this is accomplished, so any insight would be useful.
Thanks!
Hey, sorry it took so long to see your question. Here is a paper (PDF) on the subject with diagrams.
https://www.research-collection.ethz.ch/bitstream/handle/20.500.11850/42365/eth-4572-01.pdf
Edit: and here is a times article that covers the problem in one area. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/24/world/canada/toronto-car-theft-epidemic.html