Comfort Access
05-08-2006, 11:58 AM
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This is a quote from Bill Howard's article found today at www.technoride.com
"So a thief can pull up alongside a desirable car with a laptop and a wireless transmitter, and broadcast thousands of key codes, until one of them unlocks and then starts the car. It takes about 20 minutes to run through all the possible codes, police say".
If this is true, those of us with Comfort Access are sitting Ducks for car thieves!
"So a thief can pull up alongside a desirable car with a laptop and a wireless transmitter, and broadcast thousands of key codes, until one of them unlocks and then starts the car. It takes about 20 minutes to run through all the possible codes, police say".
If this is true, those of us with Comfort Access are sitting Ducks for car thieves!
05-08-2006, 12:46 PM
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Sounds a bit far fetched. What is the radio frequency of comfort access? It would have to match the 2.4 GHz wireless computing frequency to be as insecure as suggested unless the author was refering to specialist multi-frequency equipment.
05-08-2006, 12:52 PM
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Originally Posted by drjochen' post='279536' date='May 8 2006, 08:37 PM
I heard before that this also works for regular remotes.
05-08-2006, 12:55 PM
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Originally Posted by JWBMW' post='279543' date='May 8 2006, 04:46 PM
Sounds a bit far fetched. What is the radio frequency of comfort access? It would have to match the 2.4 GHz wireless computing frequency to be as insecure as suggested unless the author was refering to specialist multi-frequency equipment.
05-08-2006, 01:01 PM
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Originally Posted by ImolaRedM' post='279554' date='May 8 2006, 09:55 PM
It's not far fetched. If they're using 40bit encryption then it's easy IF you have the tools. But at 315MHz you're not going to get your local flunkie with a laptop that they picked up at BestBuy cracking into your car anytime soon. But it's not impossible either. So far I haven't seen BMW anywhere close to the top 10 list of stolen cars.
128 bit encription has been about for sometime so I am sure that BMW are on top of this issue considering the many testing authorities around the world. But as stated they are not at the top of easy steal lists. Any system, keys or not, can be got around "if you have the tools".
05-08-2006, 01:13 PM
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Originally Posted by JWBMW' post='279562' date='May 8 2006, 02:01 PM
128 bit encription has been about for sometime so I am sure that BMW are on top of this issue considering the many testing authorities around the world. But as stated they are not at the top of easy steal lists. Any system, keys or not, can be got around "if you have the tools".
05-08-2006, 01:32 PM
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Ya I heard of it. but if you're worried about CA think about regular remote keys... they'll be easy to crack too...
AND as Computer technology progresses in the next few years our cars stay just as outdated as it was built in 2004 or 2006. Uh O...
AND as Computer technology progresses in the next few years our cars stay just as outdated as it was built in 2004 or 2006. Uh O...
05-08-2006, 01:52 PM
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Originally Posted by EBMCS03' post='279576' date='May 8 2006, 02:32 PM
Ya I heard of it. but if you're worried about CA think about regular remote keys... they'll be easy to crack too...
AND as Computer technology progresses in the next few years our cars stay just as outdated as it was built in 2004 or 2006. Uh O...
AND as Computer technology progresses in the next few years our cars stay just as outdated as it was built in 2004 or 2006. Uh O...
05-08-2006, 02:02 PM
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128bit DES would require more power but I'm sure we'll see it as a result of this negative publicity. 
As for the stolen X5 in madrid... it's not clear how the car was stolen. It's still possible to tow a car to steal it, even if you can't start the thing. Parts are where many stolen cars end up.
As for the stolen X5 in madrid... it's not clear how the car was stolen. It's still possible to tow a car to steal it, even if you can't start the thing. Parts are where many stolen cars end up.