Be warned about keyless entry. I watched someone use a similar device to the one demonstrated by ADAC.

The device works by extending the range of the transmission between the key and the car. Thus, you could be at home, a mile away from your car and the device easily re-transmits the communication sequence of the key across walls, back to the car. Essentially, the car sees such a strong signal, as if the key was right next to the car.

I did this myself and drove the car without my key. I got a warning that the key was not in the car, but I drove the car away without a problem. I was told that I could just drive until it run out of petrol, but I didn't try that obviously.

I remember watching a video of someone stealing a BMW X6 in Russia, but that required a hack in the OBD port for the immobilizer. While this trick with the range extender is much cleaner and easier to do.

So, when you are at home, keep your keys... in a Faraday cage


The ADAC video is here for your convenience:

I don't think it works a mile away - many metres perhaps. I have heard of cars being opened on peoples drives with the keys in the house, but as you said the immobiliser needs to be hacked via the software and ODP port to start the car.

When you say you replicated this, have you obtained one of these amplifiers? If not, did you start your car without the key being inside it? I know you can take the key from the car once the engine is running and it will keep going, but I thought the key had to be in the car to make it start.

At the moment I'm not too worried as it seems to be high end Range Rovers, BMWs etc being targeted, but the lack of security is disturbing. It's been demonstrated by Tesla that you can remotely drive one of their cars from your garage to your front door using a phone app. Imagine what the hackers could do with that!

Now, where are the keys to my Ford Anglia?......

It's not just high end cars being targeted. Quite a lot of keyless entry Fiestas were being stolen by an OBD hack. This way I'd not difficult. Takes 30 seconds tops.

Just enjoy your car. It's still unlikely it'll be stolen and if you're that worried, buy a steering wheel lock that covers the whole wheel. The bar ones can get sawn off.

I reported this to Fiat Cust. Services Italy a few weeks ago asking that they upgrade their software/firmware to NOT allow the car to be driven in the absence of a key.

I gather some manufacturers provide a downgrade kit to put the vehicle back to more traditional key & chip operation.

Tried mine (Sept 15 car) just now. Got in the car, gave my wife the key and she stood against the driver's door. The car wouldn't start, gave the "key not in car" message. Tried again sitting in the drivers seat with the key in my hand, held out of the window. Same thing, so I dont think my car can be stolen without ODB hacking. Oh, and my wife's keyless Suzuki behaved the same

Also just tried to open the car with the key wrapped in an aluminium foil faraday cage. This disables the keyless entry. So, if concerned about having the car opened when it's parked outside your house, keep a lidded aluminium box in the hall for the key.

TrevC said:

Tried mine (Sept 15 car) just now. Got in the car, gave my wife the key and she stood against the driver's door. The car wouldn't start, gave the "key not in car" message. Tried again sitting in the drivers seat with the key in my hand, held out of the window. Same thing, so I dont think my car can be stolen without ODB hacking. Oh, and my wife's keyless Suzuki behaved the same

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Not doubting your finding but there may be a sequence of events involved here.

Normally you have the key. Nothing happens UNTIL you put you hand in the door handle to initiate the unlock. The system then accepts the key as being present or not. These remote link exploits use in effect a "universal" transponder that uses the signature of the remote key so when the crook gets in the car his universal transponder is registered as "PRESENT". Can now start the engine and drive off.

Try this. Find at what distance your key will not work. Wrap a piece of wire around the fob and put the other end through the door handle. Not put you hand in the handle. Does the car unlock? Open door and take the wire end into the vehicle. Now hit the start button.

For the car to start the key has to be present. These guys in effect have the key.

Your wife standing outside the car with the key is a key not present so no the car will not start.

TrevC said:

Also just tried to open the car with the key wrapped in an aluminium foil faraday cage. This disables the keyless entry. So, if concerned about having the car opened when it's parked outside your house, keep a lidded aluminium box in the hall for the key.

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Absolutely.

What I've been looking for is a lovely shielded leather/similar key fob sleeve that does the same thing, like credit/debit card shields.

Such a sleeve shield would either 100% kill off the keyless RF or significantly reduce it so that one has to be almost in contact with the car. That would thwart 99%+ attempted remote hacks.

I'd like to know how these systems work, rather than have to guess. As thieves that want to actually steal the car seem to have to connect to the odb port,it suggests a different security protocol is used to start the car to that used to gain entry. When the start button is pushed, the car could request a different code from the key to that provided by the locking system. Only speculating here - are there any vehicle security specialists out there that know about these things?

I deliberately didn't get one for just this reason. I can use a key and a remote without to much inconvenience lol

Numptey said:

I deliberately didn't get one for just this reason. I can use a key and a remote without to much inconvenience lol

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A younger neighbour has a German car so nice even I wouldn't mind having..

these apparently are so often stolen, keyless and OBD hacked,
that he's resorted to "krookloks" - progress eh.

Technology seems to make us less safe and does nothing to lessen crime. Cars do break down less mind but are now harder to fix. Its all a big money making scheme which is why Ive just bought another Seicento as nobody wants to steal it or the 2 Rovers I had before it lol

Not quite true if the figure I read for 2016 is correct - car crime has fallen by 80% since 1993.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/consumer-news/93910/uk-car-crime-rates-hit-a-20-year-low

TrevC said:

I'd like to know how these systems work, rather than have to guess. As thieves that want to actually steal the car seem to have to connect to the odb port,it suggests a different security protocol is used to start the car to that used to gain entry. When the start button is pushed, the car could request a different code from the key to that provided by the locking system. Only speculating here - are there any vehicle security specialists out there that know about these things?

Click to expand...

If you think about it would not matter if the a different code was used for every door and to start the car. The remote hack is a bi-directional bridge between the car and the remote key fob. All the thief has to do is enter the car with the remote hack unit and the key will be in the car and the car will start.

I'm hunting for an internet ad / video I saw of a bit of extra security kit which you train to record personal vehicle button sequences to allow the car to start.

e.g. steering wheel radio volume up 2 times and down 2 times, left indicator on / off before start is allowed.

Personally I would prefer something less visible like clutch pedal to floor & hold, throttle to floor and hold, release clutch, release throttle.

We could get really technical / gadget as well. e.g. paired mobile phone must be present etc.

Urban legend... this stuff is nonsense.

Exactly......getting all worked up about thieves targeting keyless Fiats....come on really?[emoji23][emoji23]. High end cars maybe...but 500x...[emoji23]

You may be sceptical or even doubt any of this is possible but let us assume it is true/fact/proven then we are left with the following:

1) high end 30K+ cars will be a target

2) you spent 17K plus on your 500X so whilst a lesser target I have to ask you were you dishonest and could easily hijack £17K plus of kit would you decline to opportunity if you could do it?

Trust me, EVERY system of security can be hacked / bypassed. It has been shown and achieved that this remote (range extender) hack will work.

Nobody has tested/proven 500X vulnerability but one has to question that if top end 30K plus cars from reputable manufacturers that use common industry security systems are vulnerable why would a similarly based 500X not be vulnerable as well.

Let us forget the ifs/when/whys of this technical topic and take a step back and think some fundamental facts through.

1) No car should be driveable in the absence of an authorised key. The 500X is as are many other cars

2) not going to discuss further because 1) is a FACT

3) convenience over security has been the real challenge, bug bear, and massive areas for exploitation for just about every recent computer, car, authentication system out there.

The big boys may go for the top end Mercedes vehicle but just as in the 70s/80s the joy riders would target any vehicle for a "fun night" please do not be so smug as to think your 500X pride and joy is 100% secure.

What we want to drive is pressing all manufacturers to fix/eliminate ANY hack or vulnerability.

Attitudes of nobody would want/desire to hack a 500X when they can get a Mercedes 30K+ cars is total head in the sand ignorance.

These ****s will grab anything they can even just for a joy ride.

I bet the villains are lining up in their hundreds to steal our keyless 500x's....better start wrapping the car in bacofoil...

The reason I posted that this is urban legend is from 1st hand manufacturer experience in the motor trade. I wasn't suggesting that crooks would pick other manufacturers over FIAT.

There is a theoretical and practical method of circumventing all security systems, however a laptop outside a locked house and a locked car isn't one of them.

Now I can only speak about the systems used on the cars we rolled out in the UK market so it could be the other countries have differing specs.

But in essence there are 3 electronics companies that supply 90% of the manufacturers and they have a common EU standard for the systems.

With EU keyless, there IS some flexibility in that a car can be moved (if it was already started with the key inside) as a practical measure. The max distance for this is usually set at around 2km (just over 1 mile). As zero was fed back in tests as impractical. After that the immobilizer kicks in.

If you think about it, customers and car manufacturing rely on 3rd party insurance companies in the EU to operate their vehicles on the roads.

If a vehicle is deemed insecure or very easy to steal it is hammered with a premium surcharge... Land Rover Defender for instance. So you'll receive additional discounts for additional security measures... trackers, gold rated crook locks etc. on these vehicles.

The reason that keyless go cars don't attract a surcharge is that they are no more or less secure than a standard remote.

Indeed the tech was developed after concerns over signal grabbers for remote central locking key fobs. Again a theoretical weakness that was extremely hard to replicate outside controlled tests.

In short, it's way easier to break a back door window in a house and steal the key than any of the above.

So yes it's urban legend.