A new technology helps better secure contactless keys for cars and deter electronic theft of vehicles. It involves a new security mechanism that prevents the measured distance between the contactless key and the lock from being manipulated. The solution thereby counteracts the strengthening of the range of contactless keys.
It has long been known that contactless keys - also known as keyless entry systems - can carry security risks. In early 2017, for instance, ADAC already sounded the alarm about the vulnerability of these systems to burglaries. In such keyless entry systems, the car key communicates wirelessly with the car via radio signals. The key is accepted only if it is successfully authenticated. This measure should prevent third parties from unlocking the vehicle with another key.
Security risks
However, this approach is far from working flawlessly, an experiment by ADAC showed. The testing authority scrutinised 100 vehicles with keyless entry systems and tried to amplify the signal that the legitimate key sends out to the car. This allows, for example, a car with keyless entry system parked in a front yard to be opened and started using the legitimate key present in the home. ADAC managed to open and start every model tested in this way.
The security mechanisms now introduced by Belgian R&D and innovation hub Imec could be the answer. The measures prevent the measured distance between the contactless car key and the lock from being manipulated. This theoretically makes it impossible to amplify the legitimate key's signal to cover a greater distance.
Imec announces it will soon invite ethical hackers to put the technology through its paces and test its security. By putting security to the test under controlled conditions, security problems can be identified and fixed before they are exploited by malicious parties.
Bluetooth Low Energy
The technology is based on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), a low-power technology. "In its search for technologies that can make communication between the contactless car key and the lock more secure, the automotive industry is studying various solutions," says Kathleen Philips, IoT director at Imec. "What is particularly important here is that this technology has very low energy consumption, is cheap, and is extremely secure against hacker attacks. Stealing cars or breaking into homes without a break-in is a lucrative business, so the security level has to be such that the security cannot be bypassed."
"BLE is very energy efficient. Moreover, it is already in all mobile phones. As a result, the technology can count on the support of a very broad industrial ecosystem. Today, we are the first to demonstrate that BLE is perfectly capable of supporting this kind of solution for the automotive industry," Philips continued. "Besides passive, contactless car keys, imec's solution is also interesting for smart door locks, accurate indoor navigation, or measuring vehicle tyre pressure."
Tightened inspection requirements
Inspection body for car security Kiwa SCM announced back in September 2018 that it would tighten inspection requirements for keyless entry systems. The bodies will no longer approve cars equipped with an insecure smart key. "Also 90 per cent of the cars rolling off the assembly line this year that have such a system are vulnerable," Henk van Vliet of Kiwa SCM told NOS at the time.
Some car manufacturers have already taken measures. BMW, for example, has built a motion sensor into the smart keys of newer car models. The key now only sends out a signal if movement is detected in the immediate vicinity of the key. This reduces the chances of criminals managing to pick up the key's signal and extend it to open and start a vehicle.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: Imec
Source: Kiwa SMC
Source: ADAC
