Stolen Tesla Model S

Stealing a car in the old days required breaking windows, and basic electrical knowledge for hot wiring, but two Belgian security experts discovered an encryption flaw that let them drive away in a Tesla Model S using a simple key fob hack. Or in other words, defeating the encryption in the wireless key fob. These two thieves were captured on home security footage using a tablet and a phone together to intercept the frequency used by the Tesla owner’s key fob. Continue reading for a video explaining how the hack works and more information.

“The thieves then relay that signal to the car, tricking it into thinking that the owner was using the key fob to get in and drive. Tesla recently rolled out a two-factor feature called ‘PIN to drive,’ which requires a driver to enter a PIN code on the car’s touchscreen before it will go anywhere. The company also reminded owners that it’s possible (and safer, even if it’s less convenient) to turn off the ‘passive entry’ feature, where the car automatically unlocks and opens its doors when it recognizes the owner approaching with the key fob,” reports The Verge.

Author

A technology, gadget and video game enthusiast that loves covering the latest industry news. Favorite trade show? Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.