Car theft hack

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tony9, Oct 22, 8:08pm
Problem has been around for over 2 years, surprised it has not been addressed. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11533005

brapbrap8, Oct 22, 9:01pm
New cars do get security updates during services to help fight this, but it is a constant battle like how Microsoft can't make a computer that can't be hacked either.

tgray, Oct 22, 10:09pm
Everyone is saying how it will be impossible to offload in NZ and it's too new to 'rebirth' and won't be long before it's found, but no one is saying what will really happen to it. Off to the middle east in a shipping container.

tamarillo, Oct 22, 10:24pm
Is this as simple as copying the signal that the real keys give out? If they get real keys in hands can they record it's signal, give key back, then play it back later? I make it sound simple and I'm sure it's not, but it seems logical.

tgray, Oct 22, 10:30pm
Could be an inside job?
At the very least, the Police should be interviewing the staff thoroughly.

gsimpson, Oct 22, 11:46pm
No. That is covered. The car interrogates the key and will not interact with an unauthorised one. It could have been done when someone had access to the car. However when I had to reset the key fobs on my own car (2004 FIAT) the procedure was connect to body computer, enter 5 digit PIN associated with the car. You have 30sec to press the key fob to associate it with the car. I imagine the newer cars have better security?

bwg11, Oct 23, 12:10am
Hearsay only, but I believe recent Toyota's have the key "PIN" hard coded in the ECU. That is stored in a ROM chip which can't be "re-flashed", not an EPROM. Key chips match that of the ECU, so theft would entail swapping the ECU for one you have matching keys for. The question is, do Toyota's databases hold these records?

elect70, Oct 23, 2:39am
The simplest things can be best , a little hidden switch that isolates the fuel pump . assholes tried to take my BMW 1 night in a carpark , but couldnt get it started due to the switch i had installed for the pump .

bigfatmat1, Oct 23, 3:14am
I believe you are referring to mid 2000 Toyota where the security information is embedded once all the keys are lost the ecu needs to be replaced but now we have clever people with software that can remove the ecu connect the laptop to the correct ic and back probe the chip to retrieve the info then code a key accordingly. I think in this case the their had some keys for the car or has worked out how to re code a key either by a inside job or has had access to the car and keys at some stage

woody1946, Oct 23, 3:36am
We used to take the distributor rotor out and keep it in a pocket, but I guess the modern car doesn't have one now,

vivac, Oct 23, 4:34am
Unplug the CAS, just slightly so it looks like its plugged in, or take out the IGN fuse.

gsimpson, Oct 23, 5:27am
Lesson is that when getting another car run the keyfob alignment procedure so if anyone has an old key for the car they will not be able to start it.

tony9, Oct 23, 5:44am
It is logical, but the process is a lot more complex. There will be unique digital keys at each end to encrypt the traffic. Various forms of random rolling codes are used so each transmission is unique.

But.
- developers make mistakes
- Chips used have bugs
- Vendors cut corners
- Increasing cpu power can decode and reverse engineer any secure transmission, given enough time and enough transmissions.

socram, Oct 23, 8:58am
I have one to the fuel pump and another to the coil. The starter solenoid doesn't run off the ignition switch wiring either.

Who the heck wants to lift the bonnet and grub around with a rotor arm, when it is chucking it down with rain?

When I ran the old type Mini, I swapped the 1 click wiper switch for a 2 click light switch and put the fuel pump wire through the first stage.

I can't be the only one who prefers a lack of electronics to today's so called sophisticated systems!

bigfatmat1, Oct 23, 9:28am
The key fob and the car communicate with each other. So its a bit more than a one way convo. You could however have a receiver transmitter cllose to key fob and another on the thief acting as a relay. you would then be able to unlock the vehicle. Then repeat the process to start. once the vehicle is going it does not require a signal. at worst just a error message on the dash saying key fob missing or batteries flat. However once turned off it will not start

nzjay, Oct 23, 9:49am
I thought it was a bit telling that the car was delivered from the 'wholesaler' with only one smart key. Surely on a late model near new car like that you would be requiring both sets.

treachug, Oct 23, 10:09am
Only one key being supplied with a car is a reasonably regular occurrence. You find that Trade-ins, lease returns, wholesale sales are regular 'one key only'. Misplaced keys or 'lost keys' are some of the reasons. Makes it hard when the key fails or gets mis-placed.

quickbuck, Oct 23, 11:08pm

tamarillo, Oct 23, 11:19pm
Hope they tell us how found? Gps tracker?

tgray, Oct 24, 1:34am
He jumped in the left side? Doesn't help a quick getaway.

richardmayes, Oct 24, 2:53am
No doubt it will turn up on Youtube soon, doing that crazy zig-zag "drifting" that seems to be all the rage in Saudi. ?

nzoomed, Oct 24, 4:46am
I expect someone in the area who had the right equipment was able to record the code once it was transmitted and then they were able to transmit the code to the car and drive off with it.

I expect that kind of car would use gps to log its travels so the thief decided to ditch it lol

bigfatmat1, Oct 24, 5:56am
It doesnt work like that you could record the code but a algorithm is used to scroll to the next code the car needs to open. Then the car would require a second code to start. The car talks back to transponder to verify the code as well. So simply recording a code does not work. Maybe it would work in 1990.

socram, Oct 24, 6:05am
Agree. Even a Jag can be a family car or at least, husband and wife/girlfriend/mistress needing a second key. So surely, as new, they'd come with two keys from the manufacturer?

Must Google that.

davidgb, Jan 5, 12:17am
It is possible to amplify the signal that is sent between the car and the key fob. The "replay" attack is mentioned towards the end of article.

http://www.wired.com/2014/08/wireless-car-hack/