Your Tesla is probably vulnerable to hackers, but there is an easy solution

Hackers can quickly and easily steal your Tesla Model S, but this high-tech burglary has one disadvantage: there is a simple way to prevent it.

The researchers say they have found a way to essentially clone the wireless keychains that Tesla owners use to unlock and start their cars – allowing them to drive with only about $ 600 worth of equipment. Oh yes, and encryption built into the keys as protection against this attack barely offers a shortcut.

So reports Cable, which notes that the researchers in question are from the KU Leuven University in Belgium. They are ready to present an explanation of the attack at the Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems conference in Amsterdam, but you do not have to wait until here to see it.

A video uploaded to YouTube shows piracy in action, and it evokes the relay attack that causes thieves to amplify a legitimate signal from a keychain to unlock and start the car from an accident. victim.

The Tesla piracy in question is a little more complicated than that, however, and the researchers involved have essentially reversed the engineering of the Tesla Model S keyless entry system.

"Today, it is very easy for us to clone these key chains in seconds," said researcher Lennert Wouters at Wired. "We can completely usurp the identity of the keychain and open and drive the vehicle."

Notably, Tesla claims that cars sold after June 2018 are not likely to be stolen by this technique, but this still leaves many vehicles vulnerable.

Fortunately, there is a simple way to secure your journey: Turn on your PIN. According to TechGuide, Tesla has just implemented a software update for the Model S that allows owners to set a 4-digit password that must be entered before they can use the car. With this PIN protection enabled, your car would be theoretically protected from the piracy shown above.

Although having to enter a code every time you drive your ride can be painful, it is a lot less boring than having to file a police report for a stolen vehicle. So, go ahead, turn on and sleep a little easier knowing that your advanced driving is protected by a technology more associated with your ATM in the store than in the future.