Tesla's door locks have a security flaw that can be easily stolen in seconds

The Verge reported on September 11 Beijing time that researchers from the University of Leuven in Belgium discovered a way to trick Tesla's keyless entry system.

The hack requires only about $600 worth of radio and computing equipment. The hardware is used to access the encryption key programmed into each key fob and then copy the key, which essentially creates a new key fob. The thieves can get into any Model S and drive away without setting off the alarm.

Tesla pioneered the concept of keyless entry systems, which are now used in most luxury cars.

The attack appears to only work on Model S cars delivered before June, and Tesla has fixed the vulnerability with a patch it released last week. More importantly, Tesla has added a new security option that requires users to enter a PIN before starting the car.

Tesla cars already have considerable anti-theft capabilities because even if the car is stolen, the always-on GPS system usually allows the owner to know the car's location in real time.

This is not the first time such attacks have caused panic in the automotive security industry. For years, Volkswagen has been plagued by a security vulnerability in its Megamos system that allowed hackers to impersonate the owner's remote key and open the car's doors.

The most effective way to prevent this type of attack is what Tesla has already done: using strong encryption to prevent the signal from being decrypted. However, the strength of the encryption is limited by the limited processing power of the remote key.

The researchers attributed the security flaw to key fobs made by British electronics company Pektron, which are also used in cars from brands such as McLaren, Karma and Triumph, allowing thieves to hack into such brands as well.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.