Cars Being Stolen With Keyless Entry

If car owners leave their keys on the table or at their door, they may unknowingly be allowing thieves to hijack their signal. This relay attack is just one of the advanced methods criminals are using to steal new keyless vehicles.

Keyless ignition vehicles emit a low-power radio signal looking for a matching fob that can respond. If the signal is recorded and recreated, it could be used to unlock the car and then start it up.

Relay Attack

Picture your car parked securely in the driveway, with the key fob sitting safely inside your home. You're confident that your car is safe, but not seen by you, sophisticated thieves are plotting an attack. Instead of slamming windows or jiggling locks, these thieves are using technology to hack into vehicles using digital chinks in their armor. This is known as relay theft, it's an increasingly popular method of stealing cars that have keyless entry.

Keyless entry cars are designed to function using a signal that is transmitted by the car's remote control (RF) transmitter to the owner's 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 only activate when they're within a specific distance of each other. However, thieves is able to circumvent this restriction employing a technique called the relay-attack.

Two people are required to complete this: one stands close to the car and uses a device to capture a digitalized version of the the key fob. The other, who is at the home of the owner, uses a second device to transmit the key fob signal back down to the car. This trick tricked the car into thinking the key fob is close enough to allow it to unlock and start the engine.

In the past, this kind of heist required expensive equipment in order to execute. Today, you can purchase a relay transmitter for a small price online and carry out a heist within minutes. This is why it's popular with car thieves.

All modern cars with keys are at risk. Some cars are more susceptible to this type of attack than others. In fact researchers have tested 237 popular vehicles and found that they can be all stolen using this method.

Tesla vehicles are believed to be less prone to this kind of theft, but Tesla hasn't yet implemented UWB features to effectively check distances on the car's signal and stop relay attacks. The company has stated that they will do so in the future, but for now they are still vulnerable. This is why it's crucial to take a proactive approach to your car security and install an anti-theft kit that safeguards your keys and the car from such attacks.

CAN Injection Attack

Modern vehicles can defend themselves from theft by transferring encrypted messages using the key to verify its authenticity. This system is generally reckoned to be secure, however thieves have found a way to circumvent it. They fake the identity of a smart key, transmit messages to the vehicle and then drive off. To do that they gain access to the smart key's internal communications network.

Nowadays, the majority of automobiles are equipped with between 20 and 200 electronic control units (or ECUs) that manage different aspects of the car's operation. They communicate via the CAN bus network. These ECUs enter a low power sleep mode to decrease 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, these messages aren't always encrypted or authenticated and, therefore, could be snatched by criminals who have a low-cost and basic device.

They search for a spot that allows them to connect directly to the wires of the CAN connection. They are usually hidden in the headlights or in other places in the front of the vehicle. To access them, you must remove the bumper and cut holes in the headlamp assemblies. The thieves use the device referred to as an CAN injection attack to send fake messages which can trick the security systems of the car into unlocking and disengaging the engine immobilizer.

The devices are available on 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 the thieves will continue to grab anything they can get their hands on. We can stop this by implementing mechanical safety measures, such as Discloks inside all our vehicles and parking them in well-lit, visible areas.

The Signal is blocked

In a variant different to the relay attack, thieves could make use of a device to block the signal sent from an electronic key fob if the vehicle is locked. The device could be found in the pocket or hidden place of a thief on the parking lot, or in the driveway being targeted. Once owners press the lock button on their fobs and leave, they don't think about whether or not the car really locked. Instead, thieves are able to take off with the car since the signal that normally locks the car is blocked by the crook's device.

The crooks also employ devices to amplify the signal from the key fob to unlock vehicles. They may even do this while the key is inside the pocket of the driver or hanging from a hook in the home. Once the car has been unlocked, hackers can use an ordinary diagnosis port to program the fob with a blank.

To protect against this type of attack, car makers have come up with a range of anti-theft gadgets. However, criminals are constantly trying to beat 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 key fob's unlock code and then start the car with this fake signal.

This method is very popular in the US and Europe where many cars are equipped with wireless technology that allows owners to unlock and start their vehicle by using a mobile application from their phones. This technique is likely to become more popular as more car manufacturers attempt to link their cars with their owners phones.

It is important that drivers follow the right procedures to park their vehicles. It is not a good idea to leave keys in the ignition, and should always make sure the vehicle is locked completely when they're not there and should use an engine or steering wheel lock, if it is possible. They should also consider installing a tracking device to their car in the event it gets stolen.

Flat Battery

This type 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 the car, even if it's turned off. They then simply drive the car around the corner or onto a trailer to leave with it. It would be possible to protect your vehicle from this by installing a starter circuit interrupt switch. The simplest ones just have an ON/OFF switch more info that interrupts the starter circuit. It's about $15 and is simple enough to install by yourself.

Car thieves are always trying new ways to get into vehicles and steal them. Police, car manufacturers and insurance companies are constantly trying to stay on top of the latest methods and offer better anti-theft systems for modern vehicles. But this doesn't stop thieves who can be quick to adapt and find ways to bypass the latest anti-theft technology.

For example, many criminals use a device that works on the same radio frequency as the fob to jam the signal. They put the device in their pocket 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 minutes. The device is cheap and available online.

Another tactic is to hack the car's computer system. This is more difficult but feasible. All cars have an diagnostic port, and hackers have created devices that connect to them and let them access the software in the car. They can then program a blank fob to function. It is possible to do this on older cars too, but it's more difficult if you remove the ignition.

As more vehicles are connected to smartphones of drivers and this method could become more popular too. Once a criminal has access to the username and password to an application for vehicles, they can unlock or start the vehicle using the app. Fortunately, you can protect yourself from these types of attacks by not leaving valuables in your car, and then parking it in a garage or secured parking lot.