CRIMINALS USING TINY DEVICES TO HACK AND STEAL CARS

Car thieves are using a series of small hacking tools (sometimes hidden in Nokia 3310 phones or even Bluetooth speakers) in an effort to break into and steal vehicles. Further, criminals are using controller area network (CAN) injection attacks to steal cars without having access to their keys. Security researchers says criminals first have to detach a car’s headlights and then connect the hacking tool with two cables. Once that is done, it can send fake messages to the car that look as if they are originating from the car’s wireless keys, allowing it to be unlocked and started.

These hacking devices are reportedly sold online and in Telegram channels for anywhere between $2,700 and $19,600. Advertisements report the tools can work on vehicles made by Toyota, BMW, and Lexus.

If you believe your car has been stolen through the method of one of these small hacking devices, fill out the form below to participate in Shub & Johns’s investigation.