Thieves Use Mystery Device To Hack Car

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Police are finally starting to catch up to crafty thieves who are using a cheap wireless fob to hack into cars. The device, which has been used in other break-ins around the world, had confounded authorities until now.

After being burglarized last year, Rick Henzel of Winnipeg, Man. installed security cameras and trained them on his driveway. The cameras caught a group of men as they walked up to his Lexus and unlocked the doors with an mysterious electronic instrument. They then helped themselves to the contents.

Michael Legary, a security expert with Seccuris, told CBC News that the thieves hacked into his car using a device that emits an electromagnetic pulse. The thieves used it to trick the car into thinking it was a legitimate key fob, enabling them to gain entrance and steal his valuables in mere minutes.

Manufacturers of the device told CBC that it sells for five dollars, and that at least 19 have been shipped to Winnipeg in the past three months.

Unfortunately, as it stands, the only way to protect yourself from this threat is to have your keyless entry disabled by a mechanic. As more electronics are integrated into car design, hacking has the potential to become a global crisis on roadways.