Geek Thieves

[cabinetman]

I was reading an article in one of the car magazines about hacking as related to the technology of the new cars. My wife has a 2010 with a key fob that allows her to open the car door when the fob nears the car (without pushing any buttons). Once inside, needs no key to start the car, just a push button.

It seems there is a distance from the car that the fob sends a signal that can be extended with simple radio gadgetry. IOW, a thief can wait by the car, with the gadget, and as soon as the door can be unlocked, jumps in and drives away. So, the fob could be a distance great enough that the car owner wouldn't be suspect.

I'm pretty sure that her nav system would allow her car to be tracked. By that time, it could be anywhere and on it's way to parts.

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[jking]

I suspect this is similar to the warnings about keyless entry fobs with buttons where technically the signal can be stolen, but, the reality is it's very difficult & very, very seldom if ever seen in real life.

[Russianwolf]

You are also assuming that the tech savvy thief won't know how to disable the GPS. Might be as easy as pulling the fuse.

I'm hoping they built in safe guards that disable the motor if the signal from the fob is lost (in case of this or if you drop your keys while getting in).

[os1kne]

I often wonder how many of the technological enhancements to the items that we use daily are just fancy solutions to insignificant problems that create potentially significant problems. (This is a bit of a jab at the auto industry, not you).

The keyless entry solution that most cars in the past ~20 years have had (a fob with buttons that the user pushes to transmit a signal) were a vast improvement over using a key to open doors/trunk, etc. I think that the vast majority of people are fine with using a key to start the ignition. Sure, the signal can be "hijacked", but the user decides if/when to transmit. I wonder how many people felt that pushing a button on the fob and turning a key were so much of an inconvenience that they pushed the auto manufacturers for this technology.

(I have a co-worker that has this. Our old office had parking just outside the office, as he would walk around the office, his car would lock and unlock depending upon the distance between his car and his fob. I believe the fob has to be in the car to start the car.)

[LCHIEN]

probably not a big problem, because if the fob does not remain within working distance from the ignition switch, the car will shut down. In normal use you have the fob with you in the car so the engine stays on.

[cabinetman]

probably not a big problem, because if the fob does not remain within working distance from the ignition switch, the car will shut down. In normal use you have the fob with you in the car so the engine stays on.

That's not the way they work...or at least my wife's car. If the fob is within range, the doors can open and the dash board push button starts the car. The fob doesn't have to stay in the car. If the thief turns the car off after driving away he is S.O.L.

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[LinuxRandal]

Bluetooth hacking. I think VW may have been one of the cars that was using Bluetooth. Although I thought after some early car radio hacking I read about, that they were trying to get away from Bluetooth and use some other frequency.

As stated above, while possible, it isn't a cost effective way to do it. Your more apt to have your doors open, due to range and find someone pointing a gun (or hitting you with a stun gun) and taking your keys, then using a scanner to get the frequency, then programming it into a mini transmitter so they could steal the car without the keys. If they have gone to that much work, they will pull the fuse on the GPS, and disable any other vehicle tracking methods.

Kind of like the bump key scare. It is quicker to break a window on the backside of someones house and enter that way.

[natausch]

Pay your insurance premium and spend less time in life worrying about the unlikely. Much easier for the thieves to just steal the fob, then instead of a burner car they have one they can move to another state directly.

[dbhost]

Here's an idea, quit buying cars that are built with all that extra CTB (crap that breaks). My truck has a transmitter to unlock the doors. I leave it in my gun safe at home. I am a big boy and know how to actually use a key to unlock my doors and start my truck.

[BobSch]

Here's an idea, quit buying cars that are built with all that extra CTB (crap that breaks). My truck has a transmitter to unlock the doors. I leave it in my gun safe at home. I am a big boy and know how to actually use a key to unlock my doors and start my truck.

Add my vote to most of that. I like the convenience of using the button to unlock the door, but having something transmitting all the time? No thanks!

[LinuxRandal]

Here's an idea, quit buying cars that are built with all that extra CTB (crap that breaks). My truck has a transmitter to unlock the doors. I leave it in my gun safe at home. I am a big boy and know how to actually use a key to unlock my doors and start my truck.

I have two trucks, a Ford Ranger (basic) and a GMC Sierra SLT (all the bells and whistles of its day). The Sierra was a gift, otherwise, I wouldn't have bought a truck like that. I think I like the heated seats, but still wish they were cloth, and the door unlocker thing, has been handy three times. It seems to be getting harder and harder to buy basic vehicles any more. (of course I only buy used)

[Mr__Bill]

Here is a bit more about it, just in case you want to try it....

Hackers can unlock and start your car


Bill
on the left coast

[woodturner]

Here is a bit more about it, just in case you want to try it

I saw a similar article in one of the security journals a week or so ago and thought the same thing at first. However, the article discusses aftermarket systems such as OnStar rather than the keyless entry door lock systems, which have better security.

So, this method works if the car has OnStar and it is enabled to let OnStar remotely unlock the car. It doesn't work with the normal keyless entry key fobs on most cars.

[cabinetman]

Here is a bit more about it, just in case you want to try it....

Hackers can unlock and start your car


Bill
on the left coast

Thanks for the link. Very interesting. I can't tell ya how many times I came out of a HD or Lowes, and thought my truck was missing. Either in another row or blocked by another vehicle. It's a scary thought.

Here is more on the subject:
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...acked_-feature
Article Title: Can Your Car Be Hacked?
Feature: Hack to the future.
BY KEITH BARRY, ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS PHILPOT
Car and Driver Magazine - July 2011

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