Locked Tesla stolen in 30 seconds in London with fob relay trick

https://www.businessinsider.com/locked-tesla-stolen-30-seconds-london-signal-relay-2019-8

by kjhughes • 7 years ago

21 18 7 years ago

This attack against key fobs has been around for years. The recommendation is to keep your keys in a metal container (faraday cafe) when at home. Or at best, not on a hook right by your front door.

toomuchtodo2• 7 years ago

You can also disable passive entry, and rely on pressing unlock on the fob or using the Tesla app to unlock the vehicle and enable drive mode.

I wrote a python script that allows quick delegation of access to our Tesla vehicles to family and friends, so huge fan of using the app and API over the passive fob.

Poiesis• 7 years ago

Is this script publicly available?

cwilkes• 7 years ago

With my car the fob has to be within 2 feet to unlock the door. At first I thought this was due to using low power transmitters, now I see it as an unintended security feature.

zaroth2• 7 years ago

The attack uses a directional antenna and a signal booster / relay, so it works against short-range fobs.

matt-attack2• 7 years ago

Be careful. The attack uses a directional RF booster to allow that fob (while in your house!) to communicate with your car while in the driveway.

smileypete• 7 years ago

Needs some '2FA', like actually putting the key in the ignition. :)

Or a tiny motion sensor in the key, if it's still then don't authenticate.

[Edit:] Suitable sensor, 2012 technology! https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1317349#

LilBytes• 7 years ago

If anyone had told me 10 years ago that we should encourage cars to have MFA and that I'd agree with the argument, I'd have lost my mind.

6934712• 7 years ago

There is 2FA, they just didn't enable it. There's a PIN to drive feature where you have to put a pin number in on the main touchscreen. It also moves to a different location each time so nobody can look at fingerprints.

zaroth2• 7 years ago

I’ve never used the PIN, that is awesome that it shifts around!

Does the order of the digits shuffle, or does the whole UI element move, or both?

SmileyRedBall• 7 years ago

Needs some '2FA', like actually putting the key in the ignition. :) Or a tiny motion sensor in the key, if it's still then don't authenticate.

Or use infrared to unlock the car, that requires you to stand next to the car and therefore shielding the device from any leakage :]

Locked Tesla stolen in 30 seconds in London with fob relay trick

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