Keyless Car Thefts

[Philf1]

Saw this on the BBC website today and it's also been on the 6 o'clock news.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29786320

Just a warning for folks who have keyless entry/start especially those in London.

[Figgis41]

hi, yes i caught that news bulliten and read more in to it,,,

http://www.driving.co.uk/news/how-thieves-hack-into-and-steal-keyless-entry-cars/

hopefully they start with the top end cars first before hunting down my Focus Titanium.

Also reading in to how its done your avarage old type car thief and boy racers will not have the kit needed to reprogram the keys etc.

[MattDRX]

Think fords are safe, bar an RS model, not worth much in parts etc.

funny though, give these nerds a game boy and they'll nick a Range rover, try getting them to nick a £500 mk3 Fiesta and they'd have no hope.

[Smthers]

Fella here had his Fiesta Zetec S targeted: http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/44874-ford-fiesta-2011-attempted-theft-zetec-s1600/

I'm not taking any chances, I've recently bought a Disklok for my keyless Focus.

[Figgis41]

I was going to say there targeting new lower priced cars like new fords and others, couple of reasons,, easy to nick as in less security at the house or drive its on, less chance the car is monitored and the parts still retain a certain value as there all new.

[Chrissy.boy84]

Just thought I'd post

My girlfriends 62 plate fiesta was stolen on Monday night Tuesday morning from Dagenham

It was stolen without keys from outside her house

Are these a particularly easy car to steal

The only way I can think of is that they broke into it

Which set off the alarm

Then went back later to break the ignition/steering lock

Then plug into the obd2 port and reprogram to new keys so they could drive it away

[Phil 87]

Did you manage to get the car back Chris?

I'd like to know how this is possible (could affect my car). Surely if the alarm goes off the OBD port is locked, so do they just wait for the alarm to stop and then they can program a key? I would think if the alarm goes off, the OBD port should remain locked until the car is unlocked with an existing key, or are Ford not bothered about security?

[Chrissy.boy84]

No didn't get the car back

A neighbour heard a car alarm at roughly 11

Car was still there at 2 am as another neighbour parked behind it

So I think they broke into the door lock at 11 so it was unlocked then went away from the car to see if anyone would check on it then came back later with computer and programmed it to another key but the dingle that you plug into the car is blue tooth so they wouldn't need to be in the car for that long or could do it from nearby .

It was a 1.4 titanium btw

[Chrissy.boy84]

Also police said that the car is probably within a mile as they will leave it somewhere for a few days incase it has a tracker

[Phil 87]

That's a shame, I hope the police manage to find it for you.

Being a 62 plate that's the MK7 pre-facelift isn't it? Does anyone know if Ford have made any improvements to stop this happening to the MK7.5?

I'll hopefully be ok though, car is parked in residential parking area not visible from the road and about 10ft from my bedroom window, and in a secure car park at work. I'll be worried about parking it anywhere else for anything longer than half an hour though after reading this. Especially with it being an ST, I guess that will make it more or a target.

[Chrissy.boy84]

Yeh mk7 pre face lift

I reckon it takes couple of minutes to nick

I always thought newer cars were harder to steal but I reckon you just need more stuff to do it

I've got a focus st and I'm gonna move the obd port and fit a dummy one in its place and also put a switch on the fuel pump so it won't start

[Phil 87]

Yeh mk7 pre face lift

I reckon it takes couple of minutes to nick

I always thought newer cars were harder to steal but I reckon you just need more stuff to do it

I've got a focus st and I'm gonna move the obd port and fit a dummy one in its place and also put a switch on the fuel pump so it won't start

Yeah until keyless starting came along cars were really hard to nick or so I heard, they were breaking into houses just to get the car keys. I think these problems could be down to the manufacturers rushing to get all this new technology in without listening to the people with expertise telling them about the security risks.

Good idea about moving the OBD port. You could even fit something to the dummy port that will fry anything connected to it lol.

[Stoney871]

The usual means of stealing a keyfree car is to visually check if it has internal motion sensors first (even if the car does the OBD port tends to be in a dead zone).

They then pop the small window by the mirror and plug into the OBD port.

Using specific software they trick the car into believing the key is present which deactivates the alarm, opens the doors and switches off the immobiliser.

They then start the car using the software/OBD means and just drive away.

Only way to foil them is to move or secure the OBD port.

You could cut one of the wires to the port run a wire away from the port and wire in a hidden switch elsewhere in the car disguised as a light/demister switch.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/On-Board-Diagnostics-Blocker-OBD-Lock-/321589131355?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4ae034b85b

[Phil 87]

If the car can be started and driven away just using something connected to the OBD port, doesn't that mean all new cars are vulnerable to this, not just key free ones? Or do the thieves only target key free cars in this way because they know they can program a blank key and sell the car on, pretending the key is real?

I'd like to hear what the people who are designing these systems have to say, does anyone know if there have been any interviews with them or are they too ashamed to admit their mistakes?

[Stoney871]

Keyfree cars are vulnerable as they use an electronic steering lock rather than a manual one.

[Phil 87]

After all this I'm going to be worried about parking my car at a supermarket lol. Maybe I'll have to go and buy a steering lock.

Here's an interesting snippet from BBC News:

"We need better safeguards within the regulatory framework to make sure this equipment does not fall into unlawful hands and, if it does, that the law provides severe penalties to act as an effective deterrent." But Ian Crowder, from motorists' group the AA, warned the risk should not be overstated. "By far the most common way of a car being stolen is still from thieves breaking into homes and stealing keys," he said.

When they develop the new generation of OBD, they should just embed a GPS tracker in each device so they can all be tracked, and make sure they know as soon as one goes missing :). I guess even that isn't fool proof though.

[Stoney871]

Steering locks are still a good option.

They won't stop a truly determined thief but will make them go looking for an easier target first.

[Philf1]

When I had my Impreza it had a hidden switch to isolate the fuel pump which I just flicked every time I got out. If anyone had tried to steal it they would not get further that a couple of hundred yards before the fuel ran out.

[GerrardLFC]

It's ridiculous that people have to revert to using a steering wheel lock which is ancient technology, but meh if it works it works.

I'm half tempted to question the dealership that I ordered my new Zetec S with about having it secured.

[Peterjones]

How easy does that obdc port pop out of that holder? I have thought about moving it but wasn't sure how its fixed in.

[Peterjones]

The obd switch idea is a good idea. Does anyone have a guide / suggestions of parts to use?

Clearly we don't want to talk switch locations as that keeps it nice and safe but as for a guide to cut obd power that would be useful.

[Stoney871]

[Peterjones]

Thanks. First thoughts are cut and put a switch on 16 - however is it better to leave some power on and put a switch on one of the others causing them to think it is working when it won't?

[Phil 87]

I guess you want to put the switch on a pin that confuses them, rather than giving no power at all. The more time they waste the less time they'll have to figure out that there's a switch and to find it.

Why couldn't Ford just secure the OBD with a PIN number? It works for phones doesn't it? Then more than one incorrect PIN and it's locked.

[Chrissy.boy84]

That's why I am putting a dummy one in and maybe move the original one to under the bonnet as that needs the key to open it .

Then make the new one live only so that it gives power and that's it

I don't think you can stop someone from getting in your car or stealing it but if you can make it as hard as possible then they might give up