AnonymousBy an edhat reader
There’s reportedly been a number of incidents of locked vehicles being opened and the contents stolen, where the perps remotely copy the driver’s FOB key, open the car without having to break in, and take anything of value, especially credit cards. There’s no way for the driver to know his/her key has been remotely copied, and the vehicle is vulnerable to being opened.
I’ve seen NextDoor reports of it happening at the Elings Park parking areas, and was there today at the Hendry’s Beach parking lot when it happened there. As I understand it, when the driver locks the car using the FOB key, a team of at least two people, with one close enough to remotely copy that FOB key, copies it and send the info to another perp, and immediately they’re able to access the vehicle. In some cases it’s enough to start the vehicle, and it’s stolen.
Not sure what law enforcement can do, or if this is an issue they want to address. I’ve looked around on the internet for how to protect a FOB key from being copied and still be able to use it. Faraday bags can protect the key when it’s not in use. But how can you protect the key and your vehicle when you need it to lock your car from the outside?
oddly this is not new, some years BEFORE keyfobs, thieves were “copying” garage door opener codes, opening the doors stealing everything and leaving. there is something that needs to be said, if a thief wants something. they will get it. if you make it more difficult, and they still want it. they will destroy it trying to get it. which although the thief didnt get to enjoy it. you are left with a destroyed thing.
I had a car broken into and stuff stolen, but I made It hard. so they destroyed my car door getting in, damaged soo many things the car was never the same. it wasnt worth the $200 stereo they took.
so, NEVER LEAVE ANYTHING IN YOUR CAR. dont leave things in it that you dont want stolen. and always pay attention to your surroundings. if you see someone being shady on your street, make note. take a picture. if its nothing, delete it and move on with your day.
You could search this online: “how protect Keyless Entry Remote Transmitter”
Good explanation for those of us not technically inclined:
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/16/style/keeping-your-car-safe-from-electronic-thieves.html
I realize this doesn’t address your concerns, but it is from 2015…
“I finally found what seems like the most plausible answer when I spoke to Boris Danev, a founder of 3db Technologies, a security company based in Switzerland. Mr. Danev specializes in wireless devices, including key fobs, and has written several research papers on the security flaws of keyless car systems.
When I told him my story, he knew immediately what had happened. The teenagers, he said, likely got into the car using a relatively simple and inexpensive device called a “power amplifier.”
He explained it like this: In a normal scenario, when you walk up to a car with a keyless entry and try the door handle, the car wirelessly calls out for your key so you don’t have to press any buttons to get inside. If the key calls back, the door unlocks. But the keyless system is capable of searching for a key only within a couple of feet.
Mr. Danev said that when the teenage girl turned on her device, it amplified the distance that the car can search, which then allowed my car to talk to my key, which happened to be sitting about 50 feet away, on the kitchen counter. And just like that, open sesame.
“It’s a bit like a loudspeaker, so when you say hello over it, people who are 100 meters away can hear the word, ‘hello,’ ” Mr. Danev said. “You can buy these devices anywhere for under $100.” He said some of the lower-range devices cost as little as $17 and can be bought online on sites like eBay, Amazon and Craigslist.
Mr. Danev said his company was in talks with several car manufacturers to install a chip that can tell how far the key is from the car, thereby defeating the power-amplifier trick.
While I can’t be 100 percent certain this is the device they used to get into my car, until car companies solve the problem, he said, the best way to protect my car is to “put your keys in the freezer, which acts as a Faraday Cage, and won’t allow a signal to get in or out.”
Mr. Danev said his company was in talks with several car manufacturers to install a chip that can tell how far the key is from the car, thereby defeating the power-amplifier trick.
While I can’t be 100 percent certain this is the device they used to get into my car, until car companies solve the problem, he said, the best way to protect my car is to “put your keys in the freezer, which acts as a Faraday Cage, and won’t allow a signal to get in or out.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/16/style/keeping-your-car-safe-from-electronic-thieves.html
I know nothing about breaking in to a Keyless Entry Remote Transmitter (whatever terminology is used) here’s an explanation of “key fob” or “fob key”:
https://dardoor.com/why-a-keyless-entry-remote-transmitter-is-called-a-fob-or-key-fob/
Now I’m off to read about breaking into Keyless Entry Remote Transmitter. Or should I say avoiding it!
Lock it mechanically from the inside by pressing the lock button – before you get out. Then just close the door.
Also, get use a small RFID sleeve when not driving the car.
Also – get LoJack.
I was suspicious of this exact key fob thing when I was at a hotel cuz I saw my lights blink when I was walking away and didn’t touch any buttons. Unsure if it was a pocket press or a booster attack, I went back real quick and I yanked my car battery (in the trunk for some reason) and then put my key in an aluminum foil taco. If it was a hacker thief, I’d like to have seen the look on their faces and the head scratching “oh man why isn’t it working anymore?” Was probably just a pocket press but I had the extra 20 seconds to not take that chance.