9 . What Your Parents Teach You About Keyless Cars Being Stolen

Keyless Cars Being Stolen in Minutes

Criminals target vehicles with keys which can be taken away in minutes by using online-based equipment. Find out how thieves can bypass security features of your vehicle and what to do if your car keys are stolen you should do to safeguard it.

Keep your key fob in a faraday bag or an aluminium tin in order to block the signal. Also, think about installing a lock for the steering wheel to prevent the car being driven away.

Relay Theft

The modern convenience of keys-less cars stolen with keyless entry can make it easy to forget that they can also make your vehicle vulnerable to hackers with the latest technology. One of the most recent techniques for hacking that thieves employ is known as "relay theft."

This method lets two criminals work together to steal your car. The first thief who is located near your house, uses equipment to boost the signal of a key fob. He then transmits this amplified signal to the second thief who is standing near your car. The second thief will use their device to mimic the fob's signal to open the car or start the engine. This allows them to drive off with the vehicle.

Online devices are accessible for a reasonable price. And they can be used on any type of car from the latest SUVs to the oldest Honda Civics. However, certain cars are more vulnerable than others. Cars that are highly sought-after from thieves, either due to their resale value or for the ease of dismantling parts, are usually targeted by criminals. You should park your car in a safe, well-lit location and take anything valuable off the vehicle (including the owner's guide that may include a key for valet service).

According to tracking company Tracker UK, the UK has witnessed a record number of thefts using this technique. In July 2023, they accounted for 98% of the stolen vehicles that the company assisted to recover.

Experts recommend installing aftermarket security devices such as GPS trackers and alarms to reduce the risk of becoming a victim. They also suggest keeping keys in metal containers, signal-blocking bags or Faraday boxes which can help to stop relay attacks.

Dealerships can help protect their inventory by implementing physical security measures, including perimeter fencing, surveillance camera systems and well-lit areas. They should also train their staff on how to handle lockdown and keys in order to prevent thefts. If they are selling vehicles that are older and want to consider installing an ignition immobilizer by the dealer. This will stop thieves from driving away with the car after fooling the system into thinking it's still parked on the dealership's lot.

Theft of Transponders

As car makers update their keyless technology to make their vehicles more secure, thieves are upgrading their own equipment to keep up. Criminals use relay attacks to steal cars that are keyless. Two people collaborate. The thief is positioned in the vicinity of the victim's house with a device which picks up a signal from the key fob. This is then relayed by a partner waiting near the vehicle. If the copied signal is recognised the door opens and the car starts with no requirement for the actual key to be present. This has been documented on home security cameras which show cars being driven off in a matter of seconds.

Even the most expensive luxury vehicles are at risk. In fact, the tracing company Tracker UK reported that keyless car stolen thefts make up 98% of all high-tech cars it helped recover last year. Older luxury cars with keyless systems that are not as sophisticated are the most vulnerable such as Mercedes C- and E-Classes, BMW 3 Series models, Land Rover Discovery, and Jaguar XF.

Code theft is another method to steal a car key. This can happen if you don't be aware of where you put your key fob. For example, you might put it in your pocket while you're at home but forget to pick it up when you leave. If your device is in range of the smart hub or home security system, you could hack it to gain access to vehicle control systems. A hacker with a good understanding of electronics can then reprogram the car to perform whatever they want it to accomplish, like turning off the ignition and drive off.

It is crucial to safeguard your vehicle and be aware of these attacks. You can lower the risk of theft by storing your vehicle in a gated or locked garage. If this isn't feasible then install a motion-sensored camera that is able to see your driveway. You can also buy signal-blocking items such as boxes or bags that are designed to prevent thieves from taking over the signals from your key fob if they are located close to the jammer.

Programming Theft

The technology of keyless cars is useful for us, but they can make them easier to steal for thieves. The "relay attack" is a popular method to steal a car using keyless entry systems. It involves criminals working in pairs and using equipment to record the signal that your fob sends when it's within the range of your door or ignition to open and start your vehicle.

The keyless system works on radio waves with low power that only work when the fob is located close to the ignition or doors. A clever hacker, however can make use of specially-designed devices to amplify the connection between the fob and the vehicle, increasing the range of the system. This allows a criminal to trick the vehicle into believing that the fob is close enough to unlock or start it, even though it may be metres away inside the victim's home or in their pocket.

Some cars have an option to disable ignition if the fob is too distant. However, this only works if the vehicle has been programmed to ensure that it can detect the signal of the fob at a specific frequency. If a hacker can obtain the coding for the car's system, they are able to modify the fob's programming to operate at whatever frequency the car is programmed to recognize and bypass this security feature.

Car thieves can steal the coding for your car's keyless transmission by inserting a device known as a "key programmer", which is available on the internet for less than $1,000 to the On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) port typically located under the steering wheel. The program can then download the car's specific information onto the blank key fob allowing it to unlock and start your vehicle just as the real one would.

These tools are readily available online, and they allow criminals to target a diverse range of brands and models. But the most popular cars with keyless entry are still models from luxury brands such as BMW, Audi, Mercedes and Jaguar and they are the vehicles most often targeted by thieves. In fact, the insurance company Tracker has found that the luxury models account for up to 50% of the high-tech theft claims that it helps recover.

Theft of a Lockout

Criminals are able to exploit the weaknesses of keyless entry systems. The traditional method of smashing the car's windows and then hotwiring it is still used, but increasing numbers of criminals are turning to advanced methods that allow them to steal vehicles without breaking into homes. According to data from the tracking company Tracker the theft of cars has reached an all-time high in the U.K., with keyless car thefts accounting for large proportions of the total.

Many of these innovative techniques are not only cheaper than traditional car theft, but they can be done in just a few minutes. For instance, a group of two thieves can use a device to intercept the signal from the key fob and send it directly to the transmitter in the other thief's hands. The other thief can then unlock the car and drive away. These devices can be bought for as little $100 and are compatible with a variety of automobile models.

The thieves can now along with these advanced methods, encrypt the data sent from the key fob. They can then clone it and upload it to an unlocked fob. These keys that have been cloned will be capable of unlocking and launching the vehicle, even when the original key is not present.

ADAC's research showed that hundreds of popular car models, such as the Ford Fiesta, Toyota Prius and Volkswagen Golf are vulnerable to this kind of theft. In reality one key can unlock multiple vehicles with this method, meaning that it's no more required to target specific manufacturers or models.

To help keep cars safe from these new threats, car makers are now offering security measures. For instance, Kia has created a faraday bag that can be placed inside the pocket of the driver's key fob to block signals and safeguard it from theft. Other options include making extra keys and storing in secure yet accessible locations or installing cameras around your home and driveway or using apps to ensure that you don't forget about your car. It's also an excellent idea to check regularly the battery condition of your key fob in order to avoid it going flat.