Keyless Entry Systems Vulnerable to Theft

stay out of the high theft areas?

 

So, they are claiming they can intercept the signal from a FOB when no buttons are pushed?

I know the SmartKey radiates at all times obviously, but my low tech fob needs buttons pushed to unlock. If no buttons are pushed, I would think there is no signal radiated, and therefore nothing to intercept.

The other thing is Toyota states must be within about 3 feet of door to activate SmartKey, so I would think need to be within 3 ft. of smartkey holder to intercept signal.

I'm not buying that article.

 

Without editorializing on the "smartness" of our SKS, and/or the likelihood that somebody would steal Priuses when they're like....#74 on the list of most broken into/stolen vehicles, I'll stipulate that people are worried about this 'problem'.

Here's my question to the reeeeallly geeky Prius Owners:
I'm a twidget, but not that kinda twidget---SO...here goes:
Isn't the "OK...it's me, you can start now" transponder and the door opening transmitter two different functions of the Keyfob?

I really don't know.
All I have is my feces detector here, and I suspect (although I cannot prove) that even Toyota would not make a car that uses the same (RF,US, whatever...) signal to open the door and enable the vehicle to start. Woud they????
Even GM doesn't do THAT. My door opener and my start transponder are two different functions.
OK...so somebody spoofs your fob. Big deal. They can steal stuff out of your car without prying a window open----which is faster and a LOT cheaper than setting up some Rube Goldberg NSA antennae farm BTW....

Maybe I'm not smart enough to be a Prius owner...or maybe my fecal detector is out of alignment, but I'm not getting really worried about this.

Am I in denial?

 

About button pushing, was talking about my Accord key fob.

But, must be within 3 ft of door for smartkey to work. So, I'm thinking some gook with an antenna might need to be within 3 ft of you to intercept a signal.

Just read about RF readers that interrogate the device within key fobs.

Either way, I'm not going to worry about it. I lock the car and keep my keys, and I don't leave the car overnight in East Oakland.

 

I don't know for the Prius....(read the post again)
I DO know for my GM, since the transponder (in the key) and the door opener (in the fob) are separate.

I think I understand what you're worried about, and yes.
You're right.
A three person 'snatch team' could steal your Prius in the manner in which you described. It would take some equipment, and some testicular fortitude---since you're 100% guaranteed to be awake, and within sight of your vehicle, but it 'can' be done.
It would only take one person, moderately sober, about 30 seconds to do the same thing with a skid truck---but hey, who says it has to be simple?

You have 2 choices:
1. Change to a vehicle with a 'smarter' (or dumber) "smart-key"
2. Buy insurance and don't worry about it.

Your call.

 

No they are claiming just need to be within 26 ft. of car owner, in a store, couple aisles over.

" The person with the antenna aimed at the owner of the key fob needs to get within 26 feet of the target. In a store, this could be a few aisles away, so as to not arouse suspicion.

Once the antenna is near the intended victim’s key fob, the key transmits a low-power signal to the antenna, which is then relayed to the antenna near the vehicle. Once that occurs, the thief can unlock the doors and drive away (if the vehicle has push-button start).

 

I'm pretty sure that a thief isn't going to target a Prius to steal. Can you imagine being caught by the police, and sent to prison...then telling your fellow inmates that you're incarcerated because you stole a Prius? LOLOLOLOL

 

:focus:

If they have a strong enough antenna, they can be quite far away, making up for the weak fob (and car) antennas; as they said, they can be 26 feet away. Similarly, people have extended WiFi signals (typical range: a couple hundred feet) to many miles by improving the antenna on one or both sides of the transmission. It doesn't even have to be fancy - for example, the "Pringles can antenna" design that many people use. Lots of wireless devices are susceptible to being attacked from a great distance with specialized antennas - Bluetooth phones, RFID passports, etc.

 

I hope you are kidding. Do you really think a criminal is thinking about his image when stealing a car? I'd say the Prius could very well be a highly targeted vehicle, especially near the border of Mexico. You can drive almost 500 miles on a single tank which is very appealing.

Now I'm glad I got Lojack installed. For a while there I was thinking it was a mistake.

 

I guess I'm a bit confused because I don't see where this thread ever got off topic. It remained within the realm of smart keys and theft. If the moderators are really this restrictive then I think I'll take my eyeballs and comments to another site.

 

^^^ I was thinking the exact same thing with a distinct look of confusion on my face...

Frankly people, if someone WANTS your car, they WILL take it... It's just a matter of cost, risk and effort... To have a specific tool, and more than likely 2 parties, and the effort needed to know WHOSE car it is, where they are, follow them etc. Seems like too much. Why not just pick pocket the keys from handbag or whatever? Seems easier... But I agree with the stealing a prius sentiment? Seems like something highly unlikely to happen.

However, in saying that, pretty much every Toyota bar Yaris, Rav4 and the commercials have SKS now (at least in Australia) so it's still a relevant point. But along the same lines of: any normal car, someone CAN just break the window, get in and hotwire it... if someone wants something bad enough,t hey can get it

 

There were two threads on this topic, in one we were going way off topic, he may have been referring to that one.

 

This thread did wander off-course, but I think the Mods used the lane correction system to put it back on track. (It's that dang electric steering again!!! )

If your Prius gets stolen, the theft rate for your Prius will be 100-percent.

Personally, I don't think the FOB vulnerability issue is much to worry about. A drunk redneck with a skid truck can make you a ‘former Prius owner’ in about 30-seconds. It does not require much in the way of technology, or skill. If you disagree---and you think you’re vulnerable, then there are aftermarket security systems to help you sleep better at night.

I'd say that's your call.