Locks Open for 100 million VW cars

[TDI2000Zim]

I guess that means we have to go back and buy those old cumbersome steel steering wheel to break pedal locks:

https://www.wired.com/2016/08/oh-good-new-hack-can-unlock-100-million-volkswagens/

It's time for VW to hire Japanese engineers.

 

[phaser]

Time to remove the batteries in the fob, and just use the key the old fashion way.

edited to clarify FOB, Thanks Mark SF

.

 

[South Coast Guy]

My car doors are unlocked almost all the time anyway.

 

[hskrdu]

It's time for VW to hire Japanese engineers.

"The second attack affects millions more vehicles, including Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Fiat, Ford, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, and Peugeot."

 

[jims2321]

The hits keep coming. At what point does VW, just turn off the lights and lock the doors, and walk away. This seems to be a systemic issue right now with the auto industry in general. What next, that the turn indicator causes brain tumors?

 

[tadawson]

I guess that means we have to go back and buy those old cumbersome steel steering wheel to break pedal locks:

https://www.wired.com/2016/08/oh-good-new-hack-can-unlock-100-million-volkswagens/

It's time for VW to hire Japanese engineers.

Why would anyone want to *break* a pedal lock?

 

[tadawson]

So let me get this straight . . . the auto industry adopts a keyless technology, likely developed by a third parts, and it has holes. And you blame VW? Same as the airbag deal with Takata . . . no single car mfg. owns that - just the supplier/designer of the system. So why, again, would VW "turn off the lights and walk away" from something that likely wasn't their tech in the first place?

Some of the attitudes here are really out there . . . sheesh . . .

 

[cfc1016]

http://in.reuters.com/article/autos-cyber-volkswagen-idINKCN10M1OE

there's a source for the full article that won't try to force you to turn off adblock.

 

[jkowalski]

At what point does VW, just turn off the lights and lock the doors, and walk away.

Don't bother locking the doors, someone can just break them down.

Yes, the car industry should re-visit some stuff and make sure it's secure; I wonder if this truly just affects the several brands listed?
I mean, you can get all kinds of information about your car via the OnStar app or whatever (GM advertises that), wonder what flaws could be found in that?

 

[TDI smile]

It's a Dutch Product, not a VW's.

 

[Armourbl]

You should probably also just stop using the Internet -- as it is far from safe and I bet most aren't doing even the basics to stay protected.

If a thieve wants into your car, you can't stop them. Don't live in fear. You have insurance for these kinds of things.

ben

 

[Mike in Anchorage]

Oh, bother.

 

[TDI2000Zim]

BBC's take on the problem:

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-37057689

 

[Metal Man]

Locks in general are only to keep the honest people honest.

 

[tobianogreg]

If they're so easy and cheap to hack how come replacement keys cost so much?

 

[Mark SF]

Time to remove the batteries in the FOB, and just use the key the old fashion way.

.

It's a fob, not a FOB.

fob = "a chain attached to a watch for carrying in a waistcoat or waistband pocket"

FOB = Free On Board, a term used in shipping.

Yours pedantically,

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

My car is usually unlocked, too. Right now it's unlocked and keys are in it. And no, I won't tell you where it is.

 

[turbobrick240]

Yup, My car sits unlocked w the keys in it 90% of the time. Shoot, I leave the hatch popped half the time because my dog likes to come and go.

 

[DanB36]

fob = "a chain attached to a watch for carrying in a waistcoat or waistband pocket"

FOB = Free On Board, a term used in shipping.

Or if you're a Soldier, FOB = Forward Operating Base.

 

[Lightflyer1]

I leave nothing in my car usually and leave it unlocked. They can have whatever paper trash they find in there and pennies under the seat I have dropped (Probably a french fry or 2). Cheaper than having to replace windows and locks that have been destroyed only to find nothing in there they wanted anyway. Having an old car goes a long way in deterring thieves as generally they don't want the car, as much as they want what is inside it.

 

[whitedog]

If they're so easy and cheap to hack how come replacement keys cost so much?

There we go. Just make this thing and then you can duplicate any ones keys.

 

[Louis_TDI]

The only reason I keep my car lock is since my municipality has a bylaw on it. I kid you not cops go around checking if your doors are locked if there not they give you a ticket. They usually do this at the mall but I have seen them do it once in are neighbourhood. And besides at the moment we have the best anti theft device, the three letters on the back TDI who the hell would want to steel that car now.

 

[millerman61]

This isn't just old news, it is very old news that is cycling through a slow news cycle of another way to bash VW. I read about this at least six months ago.

 

[Ol'Rattler]

If they're so easy and cheap to hack how come replacement keys cost so much?

Because the key has an immobilizer chip in it that acts like a digital key that if not paired to the car will not let the car run for more than 5 seconds.

If someone hacks your fob and unlocks the doors, they still can't drive away because of the immobilizer chip.

 

[Dimitri16V]

Germans and cryptography .... Enigma revisited