Despite 110 car models being vulnerable to one of the most prevalent digital attacks – theft of the vehicle via hacking of the keyless entry and ignition system – only 50 per cent of drivers with keyless access are concerned about their car being stolen, a new study shows.

Research from the UK’s leading price comparison website MoneySuperMarket highlights the security flaws that hackers can exploit to attack your vehicle, from key jamming to phone phishing for car access. The results reveal not only the hacking methods to which your car may be vulnerable, but also the nation’s level of understanding of the overall problem. You may want to think about the best car insurance in Texas for you, as well as the other states they cover and see if they insure keyless car technology, as crimes such as these are only going to be on the rise as more and more buy new cars with keyless start / stop technology.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show that there may be a resurgence of vehicle crimes after a long period of decline, with an overall 19 per cent increase in vehicle crime and a 29 per cent increase in crimes related to vehicle interference since 2014. The increasing prevalence of car technology creating opportunities for hackers is thought to be a contributing factor, making the deployment of up-to-date security measures more important than ever. This means that law firms like GJEL.com will now have to incorporate the idea of people hacking into vehicles now.

Hacking methods

One of the most common approaches used by hackers is to attack cars with keyless access. Criminals use a relay system to access the vehicle by amplifying a key signal from inside a property so that it reaches the car on the driveway.

19 per cent of drivers already disable their keys when not in use, by either placing them into a secure holder such as a microwave or a Faraday cage to block the signal.

Additional security weak spots include:

Phone phishing for car access – Most people are aware of phishing scams in general, but what’s less widely known is that hackers can email you malicious links that then connect to a car’s WiFi features, if it has them, and take control. To discover more ways your mobile phone can be vulnerable to cyber attacks, go to the 8bit Sumo website.
Local remote control apps – There are a number of car tracking apps on the market that allows users to locate, start and control their cars from their phones. While these can be handy for those with Internet connected cars, they also open the users up to hackers who have proved they can manipulate the system to locate, unlock and even cut out the engine of nearby cars on the system remotely. Luckily, you can buy an independent and reliable gps tracker for car that you can fit in your vehicle to ensure that, if it is ever stolen, you can locate it with ease. Hopefully, you’ll never have a need for this, but it will give you peace of mind, especially if your car is one with this keyless technology onboard.
Tyre pressure monitor systems – Using low-cost, readily available equipment, hackers can use sensors inside a vehicle’s tyres to display false tyre pressure readings – and more worryingly, track the car.