Car thieves are using increasingly sophisticated methods, and most new vehicles are vulnerable

• Worryingly, thieves are increasingly using high-tech tools to target weaknesses in the same sensors and computerised systems that were designed to help make our journeys safer and more comfortable.
• So, it’s a sobering thought that these same sensors, computers and data aggregation systems are what criminals now use to steal cars.
• Attacks on the KES typically use a method of amplifying and relaying the signal from the fob to the car.

Control modules

• It’s also worth noting that the computers in our cars’ multiple Electronic Control Modules (ECMs) manage everything from the engine, transmission and powertrain – all the components that push the car forward – to the brakes and suspension.
• All of these ECMs are programmed with large volumes of computer code, which, unfortunately, can contain vulnerabilities.
• Car thieves have still managed to gain access to cars’ electronic control units (ECUs), and even the on-board diagnostics ports, in order to bypass security.

Deceptive damage

• However, when the car disappeared, it became clear that the damage had actually been part of a sophisticated car theft operation.
• In this instance, car thieves removed the front bumper of Tabor’s car to access the headlight assembly.
• In Tabor’s case, accessing the CAN bus allowed the thieves to inject their own messages into the car’s electronics systems.
• These recent reports showed that the devices were disguised as an old Nokia 3310 phone and a JBL-branded Bluetooth speaker.