Keyless makes it easier
Keyless systems – weak theft protection for cars
September 14, 2024, 7:10 a.m
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The number of car thefts in Germany has increased significantly in recent years. This could also be due to the triumph of keyless entry systems. They are convenient, but: “Locking systems that do not require any interaction with the key are fundamentally unsafe,” says the Chaos Computer Club.
Short-circuiting and starting with a screwdriver: This is no longer possible in modern cars, thanks to the electronic immobilizer. In return, technical developments have opened up another security hole. Anyone who purchases the necessary accessories online with manageable financial investments can now lock and start many vehicles without any damage or use of force. Even in the luxury class.
“Most cars with a keyless comfort locking system are significantly easier to steal than vehicles with a normal radio key,” warns the ADAC. The automobile club has been testing car manufacturers’ keyless locking systems since 2016 – always with the same result: the vast majority are not effectively secured against interception or extension of radio signals. There are currently 700 vehicle models in the test database – only just under 10 percent of them are harmless in this regard, according to the association’s testers.
“Keyless”, “Keyless Go” or “Keyless Entry” are the names of the keyless convenience systems in the manufacturers’ equipment lists. The technology is already on board as standard in many models above the small car class, otherwise it can often be ordered for a few hundred euros. Also available in compulsory packages with other extras. In fact, as a car buyer, you can hardly avoid locking systems anymore. In addition, once you get used to keyless door opening and engine starting, you won’t want to be without it.
Communication via radio
Unlike remote controls for central locking, modern keyless systems no longer require you to press your head to unlock the doors. Key and car communicate via radio; If both are close enough or the driver touches the door handle, it will be unlocked. The classic buttons are still present in many cases – as a kind of reassurance – but are rarely used in everyday life. The problem: “Locking systems that do not require interaction with the key are fundamentally insecure,” as the Chaos Computer Club Aachen judges on its website.
In detail, keyless systems work like this: The car sends out a low-frequency signal (LF) for the key. If it is close enough to receive it, it sends the ultra-high frequency (UHF) opening command to the vehicle. Because the car transmits regularly and the key is always available, communication can in principle be manipulated at any time. Back in 2016, the security experts at the Chaos Computer Club Aachen built relay hardware using comparatively simple means that passes the vehicle’s signal to the key with sufficient accuracy. The key signal can then be used by unauthorized persons to open and start the car. “We believe that anyone with a little basic knowledge of analog technology is able to develop and construct a similar circuit in just a few working days,” say the CCC experts. The material costs amount to 90 euros. If you are not an electronics hobbyist, you can also buy ready-made devices for a few thousand euros in the darker parts of the Internet. Knowledge of hacking or electronics know-how is then not required.
Theft is quite easy to implement
The practical execution of the theft is also relatively easy for two people to carry out. If the victim parks his vehicle and leaves the parking lot, one of the criminals follows him in order to intercept the radio signal from the key with his sensor. The relatively handy device can be in a shopping bag or in the perpetrator’s hand. The second perpetrator goes to the car and presses the door handle, whereupon the vehicle sends a keyless entry signal that is forwarded to the first perpetrator’s device, from where it in turn activates the key. This now sends the opening code to the vehicle, the second perpetrator gets in and drives away.
“Once the engine is running, the car can drive without a key as long as there is fuel in the tank. If a thief refuels while the engine is running, he can easily drive the stolen vehicle over long distances,” says the ADAC.
Only keyless systems with UWB are truly secure
According to the club, only keyless systems with ultra-wide-band technology (UWB), which cannot be manipulated with the devices used by criminals, are really safe. With UWB, the system can detect whether a car key is actually in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle. The technology is used in the more expensive models from Jaguar and Land Rover, various models from the VW Group, Genesis, Mercedes, BMW, GWM, Hyundai, Kia and Suzuki.
An alternative security technology used by some manufacturers is a motion sensor integrated into the key, with which the radio signal is automatically switched off if the key does not move for a certain period of time. However, this system offers less protection compared to UWB technology.
How else can you protect yourself from theft?
If you want to protect yourself from keyless theft without UWB protection, you should not keep remote keys near doors and windows and also park the vehicle in a locked garage. Storing it in a metal box, if necessary a cooking pot, or wrapped in aluminum foil can also prevent the signal from being intercepted. Special shielding cases are also available in accessories stores. You can easily find out whether the measure works by bringing the shielded key near the vehicle. The doors should then not open.
Alternatively, the ADAC recommends taking a look at the operating instructions, as some keyless systems can be deactivated. This means that the keyless convenience is lost, but the vehicle can no longer be cracked into by stealing a signal.
