Keyless Cars Being Stolen in Minutes

Using equipment available for sale online, criminals are targeting keyless cars, which can be taken away in a matter of minutes. Find out how thieves can bypass security features of your vehicle and what happens if your car keys are stolen you should do to safeguard it.

Keep your key fob in a faraday pouch or aluminum tins to block its signal. Also, think about installing an ignition lock on your steering wheel to stop the car keys stolen no spare car key stolen (Ezblogz`s latest blog post) from being taken away.

Relay Theft

It's easy to forget about the dangers of cars that don't have keys. They can expose your car to high tech criminals. One of the most up-to-date techniques for hacking that thieves employ is known as "relay theft."

Two criminals could steal your car by using this method. One thief is at your house with a device that amplifies the signal of the fob of a key, and then transmit the amplified signal across a distance to the other thief who is standing near your car. The second thief could utilize their device to replicate your fob's signal and unlock the car or start the engine which allows them to drive off with the vehicle.

These devices can be bought online for relatively low prices. And they can be used on any car from the latest SUVs to the earliest Honda Civics. But certain vehicles are more susceptible to theft than others. Criminals target vehicles that are highly sought after by thieves because of their high resale values or the ease with which they can be dismantled. It is recommended to park your car in a well lit area and take anything valuable off the vehicle (including the owner's guide, which may contain keys 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 were responsible for 98% of the stolen cars that the company was able to recover.

To reduce the chances of being a victim experts recommend installing security systems for cars that are aftermarket such as alarms and GPS trackers. They also suggest keeping keys in a metal container, signal-blocking pouch, or Faraday box, which will protect against relay attacks.

Dealerships can help protect their inventory as well by installing physical security measures, including perimeter fencing, surveillance camera systems and well-lit areas. They should also instruct their employees on how to handle lockdown and keys in order to prevent thefts. If they are selling older vehicles, they should consider a dealer-installed ignition immobilizer. This will stop thieves from taking off with the vehicle, after tricking the system into thinking it is still parked on the dealership lot.

Theft of Transponders

As car makers upgrade their keyless technology to make cars more secure, thieves are also upgrading their own equipment to keep up. Criminals use relay attacks to steal keyless cars. Two people collaborate. The thief is waiting outside the victim's home using a device that detects a signal coming from the key fob. This signal is then relayed by a partner waiting close to the vehicle. The car will begin to start if the copied signal is recognized. This has been recorded on security cameras at home that show cars being driven off in a matter of seconds.

Even the most expensive luxury vehicles are at risk. In fact, the tracing firm Tracker UK reported that keyless thefts represent 98% of all the high-tech cars it helped recover in the last year. The older luxury vehicles with keyless systems that are not as advanced are the most susceptible including Mercedes C- and E-Classes, BMW 3 Series models, Land Rover Discovery, and Jaguar XF.

Another method of keyless theft is code theft that occurs when you're not paying attention to where you place your key fob. For instance, you could place it in your pocket when you're at home and forget to take it when you leave. If your fob is within reach of an in-home smart hub or security system, it can be hacked to gain access to the vehicle's control systems. A hacker with a solid understanding of electronics could modify the my car was stolen with the keys in it's software to do whatever they want it do, for instance, to disable the ignition and then drive off.

It is essential to secure your vehicle and be aware of these attacks. You can limit the risk by parking in a secure garage or a gated and secured car park. If this isn't possible then install a motion-sensored camera that can view your driveway. You can also purchase signal blocking products like boxes or bags designed to stop thieves from stealing the signals from your key fob if they are close to a jammer.

Programming Theft

The technology in keyless cars makes them more convenient for us, however it can also make them more easy for thieves to take. The "relay attack" is a common way to steal a car using keyless entry systems. The thieves operate in pairs, using devices to intercept your fob's signals as it approaches the ignition or door to open your vehicle.

The keyless system works by relying on radio signals that are low-power and only work when the key fob is close to the door or ignition. A clever hacker, however, can use specially-designed equipment to enhance the communication between the fob and the vehicle, increasing the capabilities of the system. This enables a criminal to trick the vehicle into believing that the fob is close enough to allow it to start or unlock it even though it might be a few meters away from the victim's house or even in their pocket.

Certain vehicles have an additional security feature that blocks the ignition when the fob is too far away, but this only is applicable if the vehicle been programmed to recognize the fob's signal at a specific frequency. Hackers who have the code for the car system can reprogram the key fob so that it operates at the frequency the car is programmed to recognize. This can bypass the security feature.

The On-Board Diagnostics port (OBD), which is usually located beneath the steering wheel, could be used by criminals to get the coding of your keyless transmission. This device, known as a key programmer is available on the internet for less than $1000. This tool can download the specific information of your vehicle to a blank keyfob permitting the fob to unlock and start the vehicle as if it were the real thing.

These tools are readily accessible online and allow criminals to target a large range of makes and models. The most popular keys-free entry vehicles are those manufactured by luxury brands like BMW Audi Mercedes and Jaguar. These are the cars which are the most frequently targeted. In fact, the insurance company Tracker has discovered that the luxury models account for as much as 50% of the high-tech theft cases it helps recover.

Theft of a Lockout

While keyless entry cars are a fantastic convenience, it doesn't take much experience for criminals to spot weaknesses in the system. The traditional method of smashing the car's windows and then hotwiring it is still common, but more and more criminals are turning to advanced methods to steal cars without breaking into the home. According to Tracker's data car thefts in the U.K. have reached an all-time high, with keyless thefts accounting for a large portion of that total.

A lot of these new methods are not only less expensive than traditional car theft but they can also be completed in just a few minutes. For instance, a group of two thieves could use an instrument to capture the signal from the key fob and transmit it directly to the transmitter in the other thief's hands. The other thief is then able to unlock the car and drive away. These devices can be bought for as little $100 and can be used on a variety of car models.

The thieves are now able to, in addition to these advanced methods, encrypt the data sent from the key fob. They can then copy the data and upload it to an empty fob. Key fobs that have been cloned can be used to unlock and start vehicles even if they're not the original keys.

ADAC's study revealed that hundreds of popular automobile models, such as the Ford Fiesta, Toyota Prius and Volkswagen Golf are vulnerable to this kind of theft. In fact, a single key can unlock multiple vehicles using this method, which means that it is no more required to target specific manufacturers or models.

Automobile manufacturers are now offering preventative measures to keep their vehicles safe from these new threats. For instance, Kia has created a faraday bag that can be tucked in the pocket of a key fob to block signals and safeguard it from theft. Other options include making extra keys and storing them in secure but easily accessible places and installing cameras around your driveway and home or using apps to ensure that you don't forget your car. It's also recommended to check regularly the status of your battery on your key fob to avoid it becoming dead.