How Thieves Can Hack Keyless Ignitions In Under 30 Seconds!

Unfortunately, along with awesome technology comes more ways to hack and things to steal. With everything being run by the internet, it makes it really easy for cyber hackers to get control. Cars have been getting stolen for as long as they’re around. But now instead of having to physically break in and hotwire it, it’s all in the software. And it’s only taking people 23 seconds.

These thieves stole a new Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan and unfortunately for them, it was all caught on surveillance video. The homeowner posted the video to FaceBook to warn other owners. The two men appear in the driveway at 12:42 a.m. with a tablet-like device. Then 23 seconds later, they’re casually driving off in his car.

These kinds of thefts are known as relay attacks. They work when you try to open a locked door, the car sends out a signal looking for the owner’s key fob and will unlock if it detects it. This signal only reaches out a few feet, so one thief stands next to the car and holds one of the relay devices. When the thief pulls on the door handle, the first device grabs the signal from the car and beams it to the second relay device which the second thief is using to scan the front wall of the house like a metal detector. The goal is to line up the two relay devices and the fob so that the signal gets back to the car and unlocks it as if the thieves are holding the keys themselves. They just have to repeat the steps when they get in the car to start it.

There are a few problems, like not being able to turn the car off for starters. But it’s still popular since it’s such an easy method.