With a minimum of equipment, researchers from KU Leuven and imec have managed to hack a car key from the Tesla Model X. In a matter of minutes they were able to take control of the car and drive it away. Tesla has since released a software update to fix the problems.
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The Model X, a $ 100,000 car, operates with a remote that automatically unlocks when the key is near the car, or when the owner presses a button. This communication takes place via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Bluetooth signals that are received by the car.
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“Using a modified Electronic Control Unit (ECU), obtained from a wreckage of a Tesla Model X, we managed to disguise a key as an available BLE device,” says Lennert Wouters, PhD student in the research group. That way, the researchers could trick the ECU into believing they had the correct key.
“Once we opened the car with that, we were able to connect to the diagnostic interface used by Tesla service technicians. Due to a vulnerability in the connection protocol, we were able to link another modified key to the car, so that we could drive off with the Tesla, ”says Wouters.
The equipment used to crack the car costs barely 200 euros. The researchers notified Tesla of these weaknesses back in August. He has confirmed the problems and paid them compensation. Meanwhile, the car company has also developed a security update. The researchers were not ready for their test piece. Earlier they managed to hack the key to the Model S with which they could bypass the security of the car.
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