Are you worried about Keyless Car Theft

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Strangways
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Post by Strangways »

HouseSpider wrote: Thu Jan 31, 2019 7:31 am It has been determined that the CX-3 is susceptible to this sort of hacking. But I have the following questions:
Pressing the key fob controls actuate the locking/unlocking over dstances of 100m+.
Using the keyless entry/locking requires the key fob to be within approximately a meter of the vehicle (so the range is minimal).
At what distance does the hacking equipment have to be from the key fob to effectively clone the keyless entry signal?
Now if people keep their keys right next to the front door I can see that it would be easy to clone the signal. However if, like myself, my keys are hung in the middle of the house with a couple of internal walls between them and the front door, what are the chances of the clonng working?
The walkaway locking setting is in the car not the key. Therefore they can hack a key that is up to 100 metres away from their equipment.
I read that on an American web site.
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HouseSpider
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Post by HouseSpider »

Strangways wrote: Thu Jan 31, 2019 8:21 am
HouseSpider wrote: Thu Jan 31, 2019 7:31 am It has been determined that the CX-3 is susceptible to this sort of hacking. But I have the following questions:
Pressing the key fob controls actuate the locking/unlocking over dstances of 100m+.
Using the keyless entry/locking requires the key fob to be within approximately a meter of the vehicle (so the range is minimal).
At what distance does the hacking equipment have to be from the key fob to effectively clone the keyless entry signal?
Now if people keep their keys right next to the front door I can see that it would be easy to clone the signal. However if, like myself, my keys are hung in the middle of the house with a couple of internal walls between them and the front door, what are the chances of the clonng working?
The walkaway locking setting is in the car not the key. Therefore they can hack a key that is up to 100 metres away from their equipment.
I read that on an American web site.
That still doesn't seem to make sense in my mind. A similar example is that the starter motor is in the car and not the key but requires the presence of the key to be able to actuate it, i.e. the code emitted from the fob. This only happens when the key is in close proximity to the starter button. You can't unlock the door from 5m away let alone 100m unless you press the buttons.

With the door locking I would have thought that the car automatically locks unless in the presence of the key fob within the car detection zone.

So how do they hack a key from 100 meters if the signal generated by that key is only detectable within a meter?

The video posted on line of the hacking of the merc shows the criminals getting as close to the front door as possible and relaying the signal between two pieces of equipment. This seems like further evidence that they have to be fairly close to the key to pick up the signal.

The system might be similar to the RFID in contactless payment cards except the key fob generates the signal using power from the battery. Card skimmers only work in close proximity to the cards.

It would be interesting to test the following:
What happens if, when in the car, the key fob is placed within a working farady pouch? Does the the car beep to notify you of the non-presence of a key?
What happens if you unlock & open the door, put the key in the farady pouch, place it in the car and walk away? Does the car automatically lock? (if you try this make sure you've got the sparer key handy).

Apologies for going on and on and rambling but there seem to be alot of unanswered questions as to what is possible and what is not.
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Strangways
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Post by Strangways »

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AndyRen
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Post by AndyRen »

So it's the car that's looking for the key and it's the *cars* range that is extended - makes more sense now - hacking box near the car extends signal to 'roaming' box that can look for the key for 'x' amount of metres, then I supposed one of the boxes stores the key code enabeling them to start and drive the car away. Ba$tard$!
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DaveG
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Post by DaveG »

Something else regarding keyless cars, I came home forgot to switch off the engine got out of the car with the key and the engine continued to run, although I was only a few meters away, I suppose I would have to be out of range for it to switch off.
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Strangways
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Post by Strangways »

DaveG wrote: Thu Jan 31, 2019 6:24 pm Something else regarding keyless cars, I came home forgot to switch off the engine got out of the car with the key and the engine continued to run, although I was only a few meters away, I suppose I would have to be out of range for it to switch off.
According to the manual it appears that the engine will continue to run until its switched off.
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Turbo
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Post by Turbo »

Strangways wrote: Thu Jan 31, 2019 7:52 pm According to the manual it appears that the engine will continue to run until its switched off.

I suppose that has to be so really, if whilst driving the key operation fails, flat battery or fault, and stops being live so to speak, the car cutting out in the third lane of the motorway wouldn't be good.
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HouseSpider
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Post by HouseSpider »

Strangways, thanks for the video. I think I now understand.
So the art is to "hide" the key fob from the car using a foolproof method.
I've tried an RFID skim blocker that my wife has to see if it affects the signal but to no avail. I'll try the tin next.
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Post by Turbo »

I purchased 2 of these for my daughter who street parks her new Toyota CHR.
Had a good play with it with our CX-3 and it was very effective. Auto Express recommended and really top quality made

https://www.defendersignalblocker.co.uk/
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Post by st3v3cx-3 »

Turbo wrote: Sun Feb 03, 2019 2:48 am I purchased 2 of these for my daughter who street parks her new Toyota CHR.
Had a good play with it with our CX-3 and it was very effective. Auto Express recommended and really top quality made

https://www.defendersignalblocker.co.uk/
That's the same one I bought. Very pleased that it worked when checked it out. Just remember to put the fob in the back silver pocket. It's a shame you can't seem to buy a much smaller version that would just fit a fob - they all seem to allow for phone size which means it's not practical to fit into a pocket when out of the house.
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