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03May

Keyless car entry - Top tips to stop the thieves

How thieves can steal your car without your keys!

Keyless car entry - Top tips to stop the thieves
With modern technology you don’t even have to put your car keys in the ignition to get started on your journey, just jump in with the keys in your pocket and press the start button, off you go!

This is a great invention right?! Well it is, but it’s also a great invention to help the modern electronic savvy thief to steal your car! In this blog we talk about how the keys work, how the thieves can clone them and how you can help stop them doing it.

With modern technology you don’t even have to put your car keys in the ignition to get started on your journey, just jump in with the keys in your pocket and press the start button, off you go!

This is a great invention right?! Well it is, but it’s also a great invention to help the modern electronic savvy thief to steal your car! In this blog we talk about how the keys work, how the thieves can clone them and how you can help stop them doing it.

HOW DO THE KEYLESS SYSTEMS WORK?

If your vehicle has keyless entry, your key will be emitting a unique radio signal which your vehicle recognises, some vehicles even unlock when your key is close and automatically lock when you leave your car. So long your key is within the required area of your vehicle, you will be able to start your car and drive on your journey.

HOW THIEVES HACK YOUR KEYS

Hack 1 (remote entry with key start)

There are literally billions of code variations that your key could be emitting, thieves don’t really stand a chance of guessing the right code for your particular vehicle right? Well Radboud University in the Netherlands have found that by intercepting the signal only twice could narrow down the code from billions to 200,000. This then left a standard computer running a program which broke the code in only 30 minutes.

So a thief could sit on a street and gather wireless signals as people entered their cars and run the program hacking entry to all the vehicles. The odds are still pretty low, as you would need a skilled thief with the right IT skills.

Hack 2 (Keyless car fobs)

With your keyfob constantly emitting the code to enable the vehicle to be started and driven once it’s within a permitted range. The criminals for under £100 can purchase and amplifier which picks up and then transmits your keyfobs signal, enabling them to get in your vehicle and drive away whilst your keyfob is sat safely in your own home! Your car thinks the keys are on board as if you were in it!

HOW TO STOP THIEVES STEALING YOUR CAR

There are several ways to help stop the criminals obtaining your keyfobs unique code and driving off in your pride and joy.

When you’re at home you could put your keys in any of the following places to help prevent the signal being scanned by a thief who could be lurking outside your property.

  • Inside your fridge or freezer
  • Microwave oven (don’t forget it’s in there and DON’T turn it on)
  • Place it in aluminium foil
  • A metal biscuit tin or container

You can also get pouches to put your contactless credit cards in, put your keys in there aswell so the thieves cannot read your keys signal whilst they're in your pocket.