Yesterday, at Amsterdam's Hack in the Box conference, researchers from a Bejing security firm named Qihoo 360 showed off a pair of radios that can easily be used to steal many new cars. The newest, and thought the most secure system for keys in cars, uses a rolling code signal, where the key and the car each trigger a progression from one secure code to the next. Qihoo 360 researchers have developed a pair of homebuilt radios for about $22 that can intercept these key-car signals and spoof a code that will cause the car to start and run. This type of attack has been demonstrated before, in 2011 by a Swiss team with multi-thousand dollar software defined radios. Last year, a German team showed a similar approach, costing a mere $225. The Qihoo 360 group has shown that this can now be done for under $25. As usual, the explanation on Wired is clear, and easy to follow.
https://www.wired.com/2017/04/just-pair-11-radio-gadgets-can-steal-car/google_editors_picks=trueOther than a system redesign, the method to beat this threat is to SHIELD YOUR KEY. A Faraday bag or a metal box would be the equivalent of the needed tin-foil shield (think tin foil hats from years ago as shields to radio signals.) Please watch the 28 second video at the site above, and be aware of how easy it is to steal cars these days.
