1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Prius FOB code cracked

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by joedornan, Aug 26, 2007.

  1. joedornan

    joedornan New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2007
    20
    0
    0
    Hmmm... at first I was disappointed my base Prius didn't have the magic FOBs...

    But now that cryptographers can steal a car just by being withing range of the FOB for an hour with a laptop...

    http://www.cosic.esat.kuleuven.be/keeloq/

    -Joe
     
  2. KD6HDX

    KD6HDX New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2005
    256
    4
    0
    Location:
    Chino Hills,CA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Well, "within range for about an hour" would be about 10 feet or less....right? So me thinks I will keep my FOB in lead pouch like they sold for anti-fog of film rolls through airport x-ray scanners. Maybe just a foil wrap around the FOB would be enough to drop the range to 2 or 3 feet...right?

    My thoughts went to knowing your environment very well and knowing and looking for laptop users that follow you around the building, work, stores, parking lots, whatever. (the gym,... someone knows your FOB will be in a locker for about an hour while you work out etc.) But maybe the metal locker would shield against the RF??? so many questions come to mind.

    This code crack requires that the FOB owner is not proactive in protecting the reception of their FOB's RF output. This condition must exist for the hack-lap to have access and communication with your FOB.

    Since so many people wonder about the RF or EMF dangers of FOB's anyway, having your FOB in a lead pouch may also assuage the fear that some people experience around electronic devices / RF - Wireless devices.


    ....thinking continues on this one...hmmmm??

    Thanks Joe,
     
  3. nitschke65

    nitschke65 Not entirely normal

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2007
    28
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(joedornan @ Aug 26 2007, 05:42 PM) [snapback]502487[/snapback]</div>
    Cryptographers don't steal cars. Car thiefs steal cars. Car thiefs aren't going to sit around for an hour waiting for their laptop to copy the code in your fob. Car thiefs will put a gun to your head and say something like, "give me your fob emmer effer!" If your going to worry, worry about something real.
     
  4. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2003
    19,891
    1,193
    9
    Location:
    Nixa, MO
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Come one...so they proved it's not fool-proof..but it still takes incredible technical knowledge and equipment and a very determined thief...

    This is probably great stuff for a spy movie where the target drives a Prius and in a meeting room our hero pulls out his handy laptop and breakes the code and drives away with his target's car while the guy's taking a leak in the john. But in real life first someone would have to know you have a car w/SKS, be in close proximity to you for an hour without being noticed, then go take your car while there.

    Then what do they do with it? it would only be valuable to them if they took it to a chop shop to part out, get rid of VINs. And if you're going to do that why not just drag it away with a tow truck to start with?
     
  5. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,075
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Aug 26 2007, 08:25 PM) [snapback]502521[/snapback]</div>
    Exactly. A flatbed truck is a lot easier than hacking the code.

    Tom
     
  6. Godiva

    Godiva AmeriKan Citizen

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2005
    10,339
    14
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    I'd be more worried about someone bumping the locks of my house than stealing a FOB code.
     
  7. n8kwx

    n8kwx Member

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2004
    236
    1
    0
    Location:
    Arlington Heights, IL - NW Chicago Suburb
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Aug 26 2007, 09:27 PM) [snapback]502566[/snapback]</div>
    Definitely. I'd rather have someone steal my car than break into my house. I'm sure a trained individual could open a normal lock in 30 seconds... (without simply kicking the door in)

    Perhaps now someone could create a SKS compatible lock for a house, or create a credit-card fob.
     
  8. auricchio

    auricchio Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2006
    921
    7
    0
    Location:
    Cambria, CA, USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Old news, old news, old news.

    And other than it being technically possible, as others have said, you ain't gonna see car thieves doing this.
     
  9. TheForce

    TheForce Stop War! Lets Rave! Make Love!

    Joined:
    May 30, 2005
    3,461
    537
    0
    Location:
    Wheelersburg, Ohio
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    You don't have to be close to capture radio waves. Bluetooth is limited to about 30 feet or so but this guy below built an antenna that can snipe a cell phone from 1000 meters.

    With that said the average car thief wont take the time to hack a car. They want the good and they want them fast. The Prius is not a big enough car for a thief to take a long time to steal.

    [attachmentid=10933]
     

    Attached Files:

  10. Godiva

    Godiva AmeriKan Citizen

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2005
    10,339
    14
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(n8kwx @ Aug 26 2007, 09:45 PM) [snapback]502570[/snapback]</div>
    Actually, there are key pad entrys. The problem is they also have a key. It's the keyed locks that are vulnerable.

    My Dad's lock has a funky key. It has little round divets ground into the side of the key. The lock and the keys are really expensive. But it probably is immune to simple bumping.

    In the attemp to talk me into a keypad lock, the guy said you could give a code to someone for a day and then delete that code. But I don't have people go in my house when I'm not there so no sale on that point.

    The best protection for the front door is nosy neighbors who will call the police if they see strange people trying to enter your front door. The best protection for the back door is a large dog. (#3 is an alarm system.)
     
  11. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,081
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    With all the crap we have to worry about in this world we chose to add this to the list? wow!
     
  12. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2005
    15,232
    1,563
    0
    Location:
    off into the sunset
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    The best crooks will always be a step ahead of the best cops.
     
  13. priussoris

    priussoris New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2007
    1,005
    4
    0
    :D that's what the FireEngineers been doing, and you guys thought it was a mere EBH install it was FOB cracking at it's best :lol: :lol: :lol:

    Sorry wayne, it sounded too good to pass up

    anyone out there better wrap your fob in foil... that does not sound good :p

    Just kidding :p

    We will be here Tuesday waiting for ya.
     
  14. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2007
    10,664
    567
    0
    Location:
    Adelaide South Australia
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Did you notice the size of that guys back pack?
    Even blue tooth ain't easy.