Saturday, January 14, 2017

HOW TO STEAL AN AUDI

HOW TO STEAL AN AUDI, VOLKSWAGEN, SEAT OR SKODA

Gone are the days when car thieves could slim-jim a car's door, jam a screwdriver into the ignition lock and turn it with force to start the car, or alternatively cut the ignition wires and hot wire the car, and off they go. In most cases stolen cars are seldom recovered, forcing Insurance Companies to hike their premiums. Lobbying  on their part, and government efforts to reduce car theft, resulted that immobilizer and alarm systems started appearing as standard features in most cars.  I believer that it's now mandatory for all new cars sold within the European Union to have an electronic engine immobilizer installed.

IMMOBILIZER


An immobilizer acts as an anti-theft device that inhibits the car's engine from starting, unless the correct ignition key or additional electronic deactivation device is present. This concept makes hot wiring a car totally futile. If the code received from the key is incorrect or missing, the ECU disables the system until the correct key is placed in the ignition, and or the correct key code  is presented, which will allow the car to start. Such electronic devices operate  automatically and effectively prevents thieves from starting a car by hot wiring it, thus incentivising auto Insurance Companies to offer lower rates for vehicles equipped with these anti-theft devices. Be that as it may. Are immobilizers "secure" enough? Especially considering that it only reduced car theft by an estimated 40%. 


Transponder chips used in automotive immobilizer systems
Currently, electronic chips,  algorithms and data encryption systems are used to protect cars from theft. And since its inception, the electronics industry members have had ways of marking their micro chips. In most cases, with  an alpha numeric marking and perhaps a logo. Texas chips had a tiny map of Texas, Motorola had their classic M, Phillips  had an emblem composed of a globe with a doubly wavy equator with two stars in each hemesphere. There were also several other electronic chip manufacturers many of them specializing in specific equipment. But today Philips and Texas Instruments dominates the fob key transponder market with their immobilizer chips. Legacy key manufactures like JMA and Silca each formed in-house electronics departments that specifically focuses on transponder technology and vigarously compete for market share. Then there is also Sokymat, Temic, NXT, Megamos, etc, providing anti-theft transponder / immobilizer electronic devices for keys.
Turbo Key Decoder can unlock any VAG car in just 3 minutes.

A VW 3 button remote fob key fitted with a transponder and a miniature electronic circuit board essentially broadcasts an encrypted radio signal to the receiver fitted in the car's steering column, at the exact moment the driver starts the vehicle. If the signal is recognized by the receiver and the handshake is successful, it then responds by sending an encrypted signal to the car's engine control unit (ECU), enabling the car's engine to start. In Volkswagen vehicles, the miniature electronic circuit board in the fob key handles central lock/unlock and alarm activation which normally operates on the 433Mhz (UHF) frequency band, but some models  operate on either  315MHz or at 868MHz frequency band. 

Volkswagen, Audi and Seat only uses two key blade profiles, namely HU66 and HU49 on both their flat and flip keys, whereas the Skoda uses both HU66 HU49 and SK22 blade profiles. The blades and profiles are visible in the image below which can easily be decoded with a Turbo key decoder or a cheaper Lishi decoder, aka Master Key-Set for VAG for the relevant blade profile.


Volkswagen. Audi, Seat and Skoda key blade profiles.
The intricacy starts with the numerous transponders used in Volkswagen, Audi, Seat and Skoda which varies from the PHILIPS ID33 Transponder, to the PHILIPS Crypto ID42 Transponder, to the PHILIPS Crypto ID44 Transponder, to the PHILIPS Crypto ID46 Transponder,  to the MEGAMOS  ID13  Transponder and MEGAMOS Crypto  ID48  Transponder; to the Silca and JMA equivalents. Some  precoded  Megamos Crypto transponders can be coded from the VIN using the appropriate equipment, like the AD100Pro.


Megamos Crypto ID48 transponder (glass)
Having said appropriate equipment; immobilizers according to most of us are  "secure" but research hackers have found vulnerabilities in the engine immobilizers algorithm / encryption system that is supposed to protect the vehicle from theft.  Apparently said hacker hacked one of the most popularly used immobilizers  within a mere 6 hours.  He then released a white paper "Wirelessly Lockpicking a Vehicle Immobilizer" but was gagged by the High Court of London with an interim injunction from releasing his scientific article for public consumption. 

The following is an actual cryptographic hash (SHA-512) 

9d05ba88740499eecea3d8609174b444
43683da139f78b783666954ccc605da8
4601888134bf0c23ba46fb4a88c056bf
bbb629e1ddffcf60fa91880b4d5b4aca


Silicon chip transponder

What this means is that the current 48 bit encryption systems used by most car manufacturers can be easily cracked. The rolling code Hitag2  system used by Alfa Romeo, Chevrolet, Citroen, Dacia, Fiat, Ford, Lancia, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Peugot and Renault has been crack several years ago and is not secure. A 48 bit system is fractionally secure compared to the 128 bits Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) used for computer data systems which could take more than a 100 years to crack with a Quantum Super Computer. To add doom to gloom, several key decoders and key duplicators are available on the open market and you don't have to be a certified locksmith to be able to buy it, though they is quite expensive. 


"The mechanical turbo decoder can unlock any
 Audi, Volkswagen, Seat or Seat 
within 3 minutes flat".

Once the key is duplicated, the doors can be unlocked  and turning on the ignition is just as simple.  Starting the vehicles is slightly more intricate but still doable. Silca and JMA supplies systems that can do exactly that in just a few minutes. Optika, Lector and Lector Pro reads the code from the key and generates the required code.
What this means, is  that it now easier to steal a car with a manufacturer fitted immobilizer than a car with an anti theft gorilla bar attached to its steering.

Car Steering Wheel Theft proof Lock - Auto Anti-theft Retractable Lock
Laser key cutting machines  and key duplicating machines are as popular as diagnostic scanner software and it is really easy to use. I suppose its just a matter of time before crime syndicates  invest in these devices to further ply their "trade". Looks like Gorilla bars are back in vogue.

Thursday, January 5, 2017

VOLVO IS NO LONGER SWEDEN'S BEST SELLING CAR

VOLVO IS NO LONGER SWEDEN'S BEST SELLING CAR

It was just announced that the Volkswagen  Golf won car of the year in Sweden for year 2016. And yes, it's the  very Scandinavian country where the iconic Volvo brand topped car sales each and every consecutive year for the past 54 years . However, for the very first time in history or Volvo or rather more exactly the same number of  years, the German designed and manufactured VW Golf outsold the Swedish manufactured Volvo in 2016.  Volkswagen Golf's accounted for almost 6% of all new cars sold, whereas the combined sales of Volvo’s V70, S90 and V90 only  constituted a mere 5.7%. But this event of Volkswagen beating Volvo at sales is not entirely unique because it happened once before. Way back in 1962, the humble Volkswagen Beetle knocked Volvo off the top selling spot by outselling Volvo. Be that as it may, Volvo still retains the largest share of the Swedish Car market, sanding at roughly 22 percent, with Volkswagen in a close second position with approximately 16 percent market share.


The smokey Ford Kuga is on fire, literally!

Despite the fallout from its diesel emissions scandal, with its cheating  device, Volkswagen AG as a whole is bouncing back, regaining market confidence after  their pledge to focus on electric power in the coming years. VW Golf is Sweden's top seller and currently their most popular car.  The VW Golf sales are  closely followed by VW Passat as the fifth most popular car, followed by VW Polo as the eight most popular car, followed by the Skoda Octavia as Sweden's tenth most popular car.

Volvo has always been known to be a "very safe car" but the Swedes have lost their national pride when Chinese firm "Zhejiang Geely Holding Group" bought the  iconic Swedish brand —Volvo — in 2010. This is probably the real reason why Volkswagen is gaining ground in Sweden? 

"Talking about safe cars or rather unsafe cars. 
The fiery Ford Kuga and the fiery Ford Everest 
are probably the unsafest cars 
on the roads today".

Ford motor company has contacted all Kuga owners by post, urging them to book their fiery Kuga's into their workshops for a free maintenance check, but not explaining the urgency of the matter. No sooner have they done this, when four more Ford Kuga's burst into flames during the same amount of days. According to Ford, it appears that the issue is limited to their 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine but according to owners somehow their Everest is also affected. About a year ago a Ford Kuga driver was  burnt beyond recognition in Durban,  and to-date as many as 40 Kuga fiery incidents have been reported.


1) Ford Kuga owner leaps from burning vehicle in Durban.
2) A PE family is in shock when their Ford Kuga burst into flames.

3) Husband and wife watched their Kuga burnt out.

A all new Kuga hot-rod in full glory
Kuga with frostbite after bursting into flames
A fiery Ford Kuga making like a Volcano
Peculiarly most of the burnt-out Kugas are white in colour.
If it wasn't for the Original Ford Kuga Mag, this burnt out stack could easily
have been mistaken for a Volkswagen vehicle.
Virtually unrecognizable but is definitely a Kuga
From Ford to ashes and from Ford to dust.
It looks like a volcanic eruption but it's really a Ford Kuga
Ford Kuga front-end totally destroyed
However owner reports say that Fords bursting into flames is not limited to the Ford Kuga  EcoBoost Ambiente but rather prevalent on Ford Everest 3.0 SUV as well.  Ford motor company is facing a huge backlash and a potential class-action lawsuit over Kuga fires because Ford Kuga vehicles owners across South Africa are proressively growing concerned over the spontaneously combustion of their vehicles. Yet Ford Motor Company is still trying to dodge burning issue of recalling their Kuga range. The issue that VW went through during its emission scandal is going to be pale in comparison to what awaits Ford Motor Company because there was loss of life. The pics below are just some of the Ford Kugas that were engulfed in flames.


Ford Kuga making like a chimney
 A completely Toasted Ford Kuga
A Ford Kuga imitating a cable.

Fortunately, and all thanks to God, that Volkswagen vehicles don't burst into flames as often as Ford Kuga's do. Below are some pics of Volkswagen vehicles that suffered the same fate as the cars above.

1) A Volkswagen Polo on fire in Bo-kaap, Cape Town
2) A Volkswagen Polo Vivo caught alight outside the Punjab National Bank in India.
3) A VW Polo hosed down by its owner.


A VW Polo caught alight on the south bound R102 in KwaZulu Natal 
A VW Jetta completely engulfed in flames in Verulam-KwaZulu Natal. 
A VW Polo taking time out.

In a certain sense  every car is a potential  / ticking time bomb, considering it is propelled by highly a inflammable liquid like petrol, or diesel,  or LP gas in the presence of engine oil, and other combustible materials like cloth, foam, pleather, rubber, PVC and paint. With a battery powered high current electrical system capable of igniting electrical fires, through arcing or an electrical short circuits acting as a trigger. And Fuel spillage from a burst pipe on a hot engine presenting another trigger amongst others. This can be equated to storing a box of matches with the gunpowder in the same keg, whiles we rolling on it. 

However, if safety standards are observed to the hilt, accidents will be reduced to an absolute minimum. Case in point, the Samsung S7 with its overheating and self-combusting properties has causes many a house to burn down and likewise many a car has caused its driver severe injuries some of whom burn to death.