Tin foil for your key fob?

[pwd72s]

How to keep your car's key fob safe. DETROIT – Given that the best way to store your car keys at night is by putting them in a coffee can, what's an ex-FBI agent's advice to protect cars from theft during the day? Wrap car fobs in aluminum foil. “Although it's not ideal, it is the most inexpensive way,” said Holly Hubert, a cybersecurity expert who retired in 2017 from the FBI in Buffalo, New York. “The cyber threat is so dynamic and ever changing, it’s hard for consumers to keep up.” Now, as CEO of GlobalSecurityIQ, she suggests clients go online and spend a few dollars and buy what’s called a Faraday bag to shield the fob signal from potential theft. Imagine a traditional sandwich bag made ...

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/m/3a56f4dc-cf91-3d5c-a861-b5b8341d2e2e/ss_why-you-might-want-to-wrap.html

Maybe we should all tuck our keys inside our foil hats?

[island911]

I can't imagine that any modern keyfobs are simple RFID tags.

Even my wife's old 90's Mercedes uses tumbling/newly generated codes.

IDK, maybe American cars are less sophisticated.

[pwd72s]

My advantage? '16 base model Camry and '09 Mustang here...not cars pros would steal for a large profit.
Seems like a hassle to do the key fob or special purse thing.

[john70t]

Here is a three year old article on how easy auto manufacturers have made modern theft:
(btw they have never been prosecuted)
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/16/style/keeping-your-car-safe-from-electronic-thieves.html

Here is how to make a key fob extender: key fob extender - Bing

I'm sure driver-less cars are immune from hacking.
In fact I will put your child in one just to prove I'm right.

[island911]

ah, I get it now. Thank John.

nut shell, they are amplifying both ends (key and car) of the handshake, such that the doors unlock.

Interesting.

[RKDinOKC]

Keep my keyfob in my foil lined underwear with my jewels.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

My advantage? '16 base model Camry and '09 Mustang here...not cars pros would steal for a large profit.
Seems like a hassle to do the key fob or special purse thing.

You're kidding right?

This is a 2 year old list, but at least one of your cars is in it.

The mistake that you're making is thinking that the worth of the car is why folks steal them. The cars that are stolen the most are the most common cars, and both of those qualify nicely. Common cars, mean a larger demand for replacement/repair parts.

For 2016, the most stolen vehicles* in the nation were:
Rank Make/Model Model Year Most Stolen/
(# Thefts) Total Model Thefts
1 Honda Accord 1997 (7,527) 50,427
2 Honda Civic 1998 (7,578) 49,547
3 Ford Pickup (Full Size) 2006 (2,986) 32,721
4 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size) 2004 (2,107) 31,238
5 Toyota Camry 2016 (1,113) 16,732
6 Nissan Altima 2015 (1,673) 12,221
7 Dodge Pickup (Full Size) 2001 (1,288) 12,128
8 Toyota Corolla 2015 (1,070) 11,989
9 Chevrolet Impala 2008 (1,013) 9,749
10 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee 2000 (898) 9,245

[LWJ]

That is what insurance is for.

I am not going to act like an idiot out of paranoia.

I refuse to be manipulated by fear.

[Noah930]

Petty theft is rampant in my neighborhood--though not grand theft auto. Tons of druggies break into cars parked in front of houses and in driveways at night and steal stuff. Rarely are windows.broken; the theives unlock the car doors. So either keep your keys in a metal box at night, or at least keep them out of keyfob range of your car parked in front of your house or in your driveway.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Noah930

Petty theft is rampant in my neighborhood--though not grand theft auto. Tons of druggies break into cars parked in front of houses and in driveways at night and steal stuff. Rarely are windows.broken; the theives unlock the car doors. So either keep your keys in a metal box at night, or at least keep them out of keyfob range of your car parked in front of your house or in your driveway.

Trying to make sense of this. You're saying the thieves are using the owner's fobs to open the vehicle? Or they have some hacking device?

[Esel Mann]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

My advantage? '16 base model Camry and '09 Mustang here...not cars pros would steal for a large profit.
Seems like a hassle to do the key fob or special purse thing.

The car itself is not the profit. The business conducted using your car is where they make bank.

Remember, you are under rf attack at all times, and all places, not just at home at night.

Using faraday bags is complex, takes special training, and they can withstand only so many attacks before the carbon tetra germanium wears out.

The only known remedy is a shielded man-purse to store your susceptibles. You must wear it at all times and all places! It sends a clear message to the crooks to find another mark because your susceptibles are shielded!

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Trying to make sense of this. You're saying the thieves are using the owner's fobs to open the vehicle? Or they have some hacking device?

Hacking device. The thieves have a device that they hold next to the car. It effectively boosts the signal of your keyfob. If the keyfob is within activation distance of the car, the device uses the keyfob to unlock the car door.

So either keep the keyfob in a metal box when you're home, or at least out of activation distance of the vehicle.

[SoCal911T]

Originally Posted by LWJ

I am not going to act like an idiot out of paranoia.

I refuse to be manipulated by fear.

You would never make it in PARF.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Noah930

Hacking device. The thieves have a device that they hold next to the car. It effectively boosts the signal of your keyfob. If the keyfob is within activation distance of the car, the device uses the keyfob to unlock the car door.

So either keep the keyfob in a metal box when you're home, or at least out of activation distance of the vehicle.

I'm thinking maybe while at home at least, a tin can with a foil lid would work? Cars kept in a locked & alarmed garage. I'll confess, the linked NYT article made me aware of how it's done. Never heard of this trick before.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Uhhhh... No, no, and no....

[rcooled]

So, are slightly older vehicles using a fob that's inserted into the dash to turn the ignition on and start the engine any more secure than more modern ones that only require the fob to be near/in the car? These older systems still require that you push a button on the fob to unlock the doors...the vehicle doesn't unlock automatically when the fob comes within range.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by LWJ

That is what insurance is for.

I am not going to act like an idiot out of paranoia.

I refuse to be manipulated by fear.

Enough fear to buy insurance though?

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Trying to make sense of this. You're saying the thieves are using the owner's fobs to open the vehicle? Or they have some hacking device?

Slim jim, among other things is useful for this sort of work

Friend of mine locked his keys in his car one time in San Francisco. We were talking about how we were going to get in, and this kid, no more than 10-12 years old tells us he can get the door open without putting a scratch on it. We take him up on the offer, and he takes a little screwdriver, lifts up the handle half way and did something with that screwdriver in the gap created by lifting the handle, took seconds.

[vash]

My fastrack toll transponder came in a Mylar bag to use if I don’t want to get charged. I bet that would work.

[Icemaster]

Double clicking the 'lock' button on my fob turns it off. Check your manual, yours might also.