It seems the smarter and more connected our cars get, so do potential car thieves. Technology advancements now allow thieves to steal your car without breaking in.
It was a year ago that two hackers remotely accessed the inner workings of a Jeep to illustrate the ease of accessibility. The scenario was proof of how easy it is to gain control of (and ultimately steal) a car built by the Fiat/Chrysler group. This also lead to the recall of 1.4 million Chrysler vehicles. Apart from this method, thieves rarely need an expensive laptop to gain access to your car.
Volkswagen made headlines (again) when researchers discovered how to remotely unlock any Volkswagen built in the last twenty years. The small remote device is even capable of starting the VW’s ignition. But it’s not only Volkswagens that are vulnerable.
Samy Kamkar, a ‘white hat’ hacker and security researcher in the US, has designed and built a little $30 device. This device can open locked car doors as well as garage doors. It goes by the name of Rolljam. Car and garage door remotes use rolling codes, unique combinations of numbers that change every time you press the lock/unlock button. Rolljam listens and intercepts each signal that gets sent from a wireless key. If you press the unlock button on your remote, it blocks the signal but also records it. When you press the button again to lock/unlock the car, Rolljam has another ‘get into my car free’ code which hasn’t been used yet. Press a button on Rolljam, and voila: Open Sesame. Kamkar has tested it on Toyotas, Fords, Volkswagens, Nissans, as well as Chryslers and Fiats.
There’s an array of methods used by thieves to get their filthy mitts on our cars and whatever’s inside. Signal jamming is a firm favourite with South African thieves, but another method on the rise is the use of a signal booster. If you have a keyless ignition, your car is permanently communicating with your key – that way the car ‘knows’ that you are inside. If thieves have a device that can boost that signal, even if your car key is safely hanging on its hook inside your house, they can still easily unlock the car doors, by retransmitting the signal. Criminals also make use of key-programming machines used by locksmiths and car dealerships to program blank key fobs. This kind of equipment is normally quite pricey, but imitation devices were previously available on eBay for considerably less (eBay has since removed these items).
So, what can we do to prevent thieves stealing our codes and getting into our cars? By locking and unlocking your car the traditional way, ie. turning the key in the door. That leaves no signals flying around to be intercepted. Hyundai recently introduced an anti-jamming device, optionally built into the engine compartment of the car for under R900. It is able to detect a signal from a thief’s jamming device and warns the owner by sounding an alarm. If you’re not a Hyundai owner, there are other gadgets on the market. These alert you if your car is about to fall victim to thieves. JamGuard is such a product and connects easily through plugging into your car’s 12V power socket. For more info, you can visit www.remotejamming.co.za.
As a preventative measure, the best way is the old-fashioned way. The good ol’ steering wheel lock is the best option. It may not be cool, but it surely works! And it’s about to make a huge comeback if you ask me. London police have already requested owners of supercars and top-of-the-range SUV’s to implement these. Thieves find it too easy to bypass these cars’ built-in security and infotainment systems.
Next time you’re purchasing a car and tempted to select ‘Keyless Start’ from the list of options, Don’t. My advice would be to opt for heated seats instead!
