Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry

If car owners throw their keys on the table or at their doors, they may unknowingly allow thieves to steal their signal. This relay attack is a sophisticated method criminals use to steal keyless vehicles.

All keyless ignition vehicles emit a low-power radio signal to find an appropriate fob. If the signal is recorded and recreated, it could be used to unlock the car and to start it.

Relay Attack

Imagine your car parked in your driveway with your key fob inside your home. You're confident that your vehicle is safe, but unnoticed by you, sophisticated thieves are plotting a heist. The thieves employ technology to hack into vehicles using digital chinks. Also known as relay theft, it's an increasingly popular method of stealing cars that have keyless entry.

The keyless entry system in cars is controlled by a signal sent by the car's radio transmitter to the key fob. To ensure that keyless entry is not unauthorized the RF transmitters on the key fob and in the car are programmed to only activate when they're within certain distance of each other. The thief can circumvent this limitation using a technique known as the "relay-attack".

To accomplish this two people work in tandem: one stands by the car with an instrument that records a digitized version of the key fob's signal. The other, who is at the owner's home and uses a different device to transmit the signal from the key fob back to the car. This trickery fools the car into thinking that the key fob has traveled the distance needed to unlock and start the vehicle.

This type of heist was once a costly process that required expensive equipment. Now, you can pick up a relay transmitter on the cheap online and execute the heist in just a few minutes. This is why it's so popular among car thieves.

While some cars are less vulnerable to this type of theft than others, all modern cars that have keyless entry are vulnerable. Researchers have tested 237 of the most popular automobiles and found that all of them are susceptible to being stolen through this method.

Tesla vehicles are believed to be less vulnerable to this kind of theft. However, the company hasn't yet implemented UWB technology to enable it to perform distance checks and stop relay attacks. The company has stated that they will do this in the future but until then, they're vulnerable. This is why it's crucial to be proactive about your security in your car and install an anti-theft tool which protects your keys as well as your the car from such attacks.

CAN Injection Attack

Modern cars are designed to protect themselves from theft by exchanging cryptographic data with the key to prove that it's authentic. This system is generally reckoned to be secure, however criminals have found a way to circumvent it. They fake the identity of a smart key, transmit messages to the vehicle, and then drive away. 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 with one another using a network known as CAN bus. These ECUs are put into a low power sleep mode to decrease their power consumption. This mode is activated when ECUs receive a "wake up" frame. These frames are typically sent through the door or a smart key receiver ECU. However they aren't always encrypted or authenticated so they can be intercepted by criminals with a cheap and basic device.

To do this, they look for a place where they can directly connect to the CAN bus connection wires. They are usually hidden in the headlights, or in other places in the front of the vehicle. To get them, you can pull the bumper and cut holes in the headlamp assemblies. The thieves employ a device known 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.

These devices are for purchase on the Dark Web, and work for all major car manufacturers which include 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 the issue in their current models, but the fact is that the thieves will continue to take anything they can get their hands on. The best we can do is try and prevent this by installing mechanical security measures like Discloks on all our vehicles and ensuring that they're always located in areas with adequate lighting that are clearly visible to passers-by.

Jamming the Signal

In a variant different to the relay attack, thieves may use a gadget to jam the signal that is sent by a key fob when the car is locked. The device could be hidden in the pocket or in the hiding place of a thief on an open parking lot or near the driveway that is being targeted. Owners aren't able to verify if the vehicle is locked when they press the lock button. Instead, thieves can take off with the car because the signal that read more normally locks the car has been blocked by the crook's device.

They also use 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 the standard diagnostic port to program the fob with a blank.

Car manufacturers have developed various anti-theft devices to protect against these types of attacks. But, as always, thieves find ways to defeat these measures.

They've begun using devices that transmit at the same frequency as remote keyfobs to intercept signals. The crooks then copy the unlock code of the key fob and then start the car using this fake signal.

This method is particularly popular in the US and Europe where many automobiles are sold with wireless technology that allows owners to unlock and start their cars by using a mobile application on their phone. This technique is likely to be more commonplace as more companies attempt to link their cars with their owners phones.

It is essential that drivers follow the best practices to park their cars. They should never leave the keys in ignition and always lock the car when not in it. If possible it is also recommended to use the gearstick or steering locking device. It is also recommended to consider installing a tracking device to their vehicle in the event that it gets stolen.

Flat Battery

This kind of attack is more common than most people realize. Thieves use cheap devices to extend the signal from your key fob to unlock and start the car, even if it's shut off. Then, they drive the car to the trailer or around a corner to take it away. It is possible to shield your vehicle from this by installing an interrupter switch for the starter circuit. Simpler versions include an ON/OFF button which interrupts the circuit. It costs around $15 and is simple to install.

Car thieves are always seeking new ways to steal vehicles. The police as well as car manufacturers and insurance companies are always trying to catch up with their strategies and provide better anti-theft systems for modern cars. But that doesn't stop thieves who are able to change quickly and find ways to get around the most up-to-date anti-theft systems.

Many thieves block the signal by using devices that operate on the same radio frequency as the fob. They place the device in their pockets or close to their vehicle, and it prevents the fob's lock commands from reaching the car, leaving it unlocked. This can be done within seconds. The device is inexpensive and can be purchased on the internet.

Another strategy is to hack into the car's computer system. This is more difficult but possible. Every car has an diagnostic port and hackers have created devices that plug into them and allow them access the car's software. From there, they can program an unfinished key fob and make it work. It is also possible to do this on older cars, although it is more difficult without taking off the ignition lock.

This method is likely to be more popular if more vehicles are connected to drivers' mobile phones. Once a burglar has gained the username and password to the vehicle app, they can then unlock the car or start it with the app on their phone. 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.