Cheap device easily found on sites like Amazon and Craigslist, is likely why there’s been an uptick in auto theft

Tech-savvy thieves have figured out how to expose a feature in a popular security system used on cars nowadays. 

Keyless doors are meant to serve as a convenience for owners who don’t want to have to struggle to find their keys or key fob to open their door. 

The system works like this: when the owner walks up to a car with key-free doors on it, they will reach out and pull the door handle; this prompts the car to send out a wireless call for the vehicle’s keys, and if the keys call back, the door will unlock.

As a security measure, the keyless system will search for a key within just a couple of feet. 

Now, this is of course, the layman’s explanation on how this system works. Greater detail could be spent describing the sensors and NFC components that make this sort of system operate, but instead of getting into all of that, we’re going to shift focus on how thieves are exposing a feature in this system’s operations. 

The tech-savvy auto thief is now going around to these cars with a “power amplifier” in hand, for the purpose of amplifying the car’s ability to search for a nearby key. This gives the system the ability to locate a key that will call back to the system several hundreds of feet away. 

While it might be a bit harder to locate in a rural setting, this sort of solution works well in cities, and even in suburban areas, where the amplification of a car parked on the street can extend to a few nearby houses.

What’s particularly disturbing about this trend in thievery is just how easy it is to get a power amplifier: a quick Google search yields plenty of places where they can be ordered, with some costing $100, while others go for as little as $17 on sites like Amazon and Craigslist.

The write-ups for the device target technicians tasked with boosting wireless signal strength, but there are no qualifications necessary for purchasing a power amplifier. 

There have been several reports done on an uptick in stolen cars which, when recovered, show no signs of forced entry. Recently, ABC News reported that Long Beach Police captured video of these thieves in action, and there’s clear evidence of them “holding a device” before entering the car. 

The story is still developing, so there’s no clear solution on how to go about protecting one’s key-free car from this new type of thief. Some suggest putting the key dongle into a freezer, while others offer a more technical solution that focuses on adjusting the car’s electrical system.

Regardless, it’s a story worth following. 

Via Business Insider