ADAC researchers showcase vulnerabilities of Keyless Entry systems in cars.

A German automobile club, ADAC, you could think of it as a sort of AAA from Germany, has revealed how easy it is to steal cars that depend on keyless entry systems, which is increasingly becoming popular despite the vulnerability being known for many years.

Normally keyless entry systems use transmitter keys equipped with radio signals, which works only if it is a few feet away from the vehicle. Thanks to some inexpensive equipment, roughly around $225, researchers from the ADAC, can not only pick up the radio signal used by the transmitter keys, but also extend it to several hundred feet and unlock the car.

Once inside the vehicle the researchers were able to start and drive the car around since most automobile manufacturers allows the engine to keep running and the car to be driven even if the keyless fob is out of range. Car thieves could quickly make a heap of cash using this vulnerability.

ADAC researchers have used this technique to gain entry to several cars in Europe, including BMWs, Audis, Toyotas, Fords, Kias and cars from General Motors.

Although this vulnerability is quite old, thanks to the growing popularity of the keyless entry systems, there is a growing threat to the security of cars using this system.

The only effective way to deter would be car thieves wanting to exploit cars equipped with the Keyless Entry System is to place the keyless fob into a device that blocks the transmission of radio signals. As per the New York Times, you could use even your freezer to block those radio signals in case you don’t have a Faraday cage handy.

With the demonstration of this hack, the ADAC researchers are once again bringing to light the fact that vehicles which use the Keyless Entry System are vulnerable to being stolen. You need to be aware of this threat when you make your purchase decision.