Researchers from the Radboud University in Nijmegen, the encryption of an outdated NXP chip cracked which is used to immobiliser. The poorly secured chip makes hundreds of thousands of cars vulnerable to theft.
Researcher Roel Verdult of Radboud University nijmegen showed in Nieuwsuur how a device the encrypted code of a car key with the obsolete NXP Hitag2 immobilizer chip can be read. This is possible by the wireless scanning device close to the ignition key. Then the code using a laptop computer be copied.
With the copied code can the immobilizer be unblocked and a car are started by pressing the start button. In Nieuwsuur knew Verdult in a few seconds a BMW from the 5 series to start and to drive away without the key in hand. A car alarms is in this way not to disable, but this would be a pity, can be used.
According to the researchers, is the NXP Hitag2 immobilizer chip by dozens of manufacturers and hundreds of thousands of cars from all price categories in the Netherlands of the vulnerable system. Bart Jacobs, professor of computer security at the Radboud University, asserts that the encryption of the chip is outdated. In addition, believes Jacobs that the car manufacturers are the security mechanisms wrong implement, making it even easier to crack. NXP is also a half a year ago already informed about the hack of the system.
Already in 1996, would scientists holes have been shot in the NXP selected beveiligingsalgoritmen the opinion of the Radboud University. However, since then, improved chips on the market come with only a few euros more expensive. Nevertheless, it brought to NXP the hackbare chip on the market. Also choose among other BMW and Renault to support the obsolete NXP chip still in new cars to use.
NXP gives the relevant chip is the weakest in the range and that it is safer chips on the market, including models with aes encryption. The company advises car manufacturers to these types to choose from. The association of autoimporteurs RAI let know that they are the findings of the researchers are going to study, while Renault believes that it will be difficult to get the chips in existing cars to fit. BMW had to Nieuwsuur know that the case by the head office in Germany is being viewed.