Gone in 20 Minutes:
using laptops to steal cars
High-tech thieves
are becoming increasingly savvy when it comes to stealing automobiles
equipped with keyless entry and ignition systems. While many
computer-based security systems on automobiles require some type of key
— mechanical or otherwise — to start the engine, so-called ‘keyless’
setups require only the presence of a key fob to start the engine.
The expert gang
suspected of stealing two of David Beckham’s BMW X5 SUVs in the last
six months did so by using software programs on a laptop to wirelessly
break into the car’s computer, open the doors, and start the engine.
“It’s difficult to
steal cars with complex security, but not impossible. There are
weaknesses in any system,” Tim Hart of the Auto Locksmith Association
told the U.K.’s Auto Express magazine. “At key steps the car’s software
can halt progress for up to 20 minutes as part of its in-built
protection,” said Hart.
Because the
decryption process can take a while — up to 20 minutes, according to
Hart — the thieves usually wait to find the car in a secluded area
where it will be left for a long period. That is believed to be what
happened to Mr. Beckham — the crooks followed him to the mall where he
was to have lunch, and went to work on his X5 after it was parked.
While automakers and
locksmiths are supposed to be the only groups that know where and how
security information is stored in a car, the information eventually
falls into the wrong hands.
According to the
Prague Post leaving such information on a laptop is what got Radko
Souček caught for stealing several cars. “You could delete all the data
from your laptop, but that’s not good for you because the more data you
have, the bigger your possibilities,” he says. He says any car that
relies on software to provide security can be circumvented by other
software. “Every car has its weak spot,” he says. Souček faces up to 12
years in prison.
The Leftlane
Perspective: Many modern cars now rely on software entirely for
security. Gone are the days where microchips supplemented mechanical
locks as an additional security measure. In the case of true ‘keyless’
systems, software is the only thing between a thief and your car. As
computers become more powerful, will stealing cars become even easier?
Never mind future cars with better security — what about today’s cars a
few years down the road? With cars as inexpensive as the Toyota Camry
offering entirely keyless systems, these concerns a relevant to all
consumers.
**************** *****************************
Kiggundu Mukasa #
Computer Network Consultancy###
KYM-NET LTD. #
Intranets & Internet Solutions#
Plot 80 Kanjokya Street
P.O. Box 24284 Kampala,
Uganda
Tel: +256
77 2972255
+256 71 2221141
Fax: +256
31 2262122
*****************************************************************
_______________________________________________
LUG mailing list
[email protected]
http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/lug
%LUG is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/
The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way.
---------------------------------------
