Car owners afraid of relay attacks have taken to using a common kitchen appliance to secure their key fob, but the benefits far outweigh the risks.
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As society continues to undergo its high-tech makeover, your average everyday citizen has, arguably, never been more exposed to any number of attacks from the hordes of high-tech ne’er-do-wells in the world. Thankfully, there are measures folks can take to limit how much access online creepers have to their devices.
While password upgrades, security programs and, in some cases, biometric systems are measures that can help you secure your gear and info, they may not be enough to deny a technologically inclined crook from making off with your automobile — particularly those targeting smart cars with cheap relay attack kits. If you’ve never heard that term before, a „relay attack“ is a method car thieves use to gain access to keyless entry vehicles by essentially hijacking and boosting the signal emitted from your key fob, relaying to a nearby receiver, and thus unlocking the car remotely.
Yes, the signal can be boosted even if the key fob is located inside your house at the time of theft. And yes, such a theft can occur in a matter of seconds. You can, however, limit the possibility of a relay attack by simply placing your key fob inside your microwave when you’re not out and about. That’s because your microwave is, in essence, a Faraday cage, meaning its enclosed metal construct provides a signal-blocking electromagnetic shield that prevents the digital signature emanating from your key fob from being hijacked or even detected.
