The new car thief

[richlevy]

This article presents a good argument against buying convenience without considering security.

I now know which Ford model I'm not going to buy.

Gone in 60 seconds--the high-tech version

Let's say you just bought a Mercedes S550, a state-of-the-art, high-tech vehicle with an antitheft keyless ignition system. After pulling into a Starbucks to celebrate with a grande latte and a scone while checking your messages on a BlackBerry, a man in a T-shirt and jeans with a laptop sits next to you and starts up a friendly conversation: "Is that the S550? How do you like it so far?" Eager to share, you converse for a few minutes, then the man thanks you and is gone. A moment later you look up to discover your new Mercedes is gone as well.

Like vehicle immobilization, keyless ignition systems work only in the presence of the proper chip. Unlike remote keyless entry systems, keyless ignition systems are passive, don't require a battery, and have much shorter ranges (usually six feet or less); instead of sending a signal, the keyless ignition system relies on a signal emitted from the car itself. Keyless ignition systems allow you the convenience of starting your car with the touch of a button without removing the chip from your pocket or purse or backpack. Given that the car is more or less broadcasting its code and looking for a response, it seems possible that a thief could try different codes and see what the responses are. Last fall the authors of a study from Johns Hopkins University and the security firm RSA used a laptop equipped with a microreader. They were able to capture the code sequence, decrypt it, then disengage the alarm and unlock and start a 2005 Ford Escape SUV without the key; they even provided an online video of their "car theft." But if you think that such a hack might occur only in a pristine academic environment, with the right equipment, you're wrong.