Latest news with #Hyundais
Miami Herald
16-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Keyless Entry is a Car-Thief's Dream: Is Yours on the List?
Car thieves have gone high-tech. In 2025, the same keyless entry systems that make life convenient for drivers have become a goldmine for criminals. Armed with cheap relay devices and a bit of know-how, thieves can capture and amplify your fob's signal-even if it's inside your house-and drive away in seconds. Recent academic research confirms: remote keyless entry is now a main attack vector, and most automakers haven't kept up with the threat. Attacks like relay, replay, and even cryptanalytic hacks let criminals bypass security on everything from family sedans to luxury EVs. Relay Attacks: Thieves use radio amplifiers to trick your car into thinking the key is nearby-even if it's inside your Attackers block your unlock signal, record it, and use it later to open your Attacks: Hackers can clone keys by intercepting and analyzing the digital handshake between car and fob. The U.S. car theft landscape is dominated by models with weak immobilizer systems, especially older Hyundais and Kias, but modern keyless entry vulnerabilities-including those in Tesla and other brands-are a growing concern. Here are the US' 2024 Top 10 Most Stolen from keyless entry attacks. Tesla Model 3 and Model Y have been proven susceptible to Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) relay attacks, allowing thieves to unlock and drive away in seconds if advanced security features (like PIN-to-drive) are not not among the top 10 most stolen cars by volume, Tesla's vulnerability is notable because the attack exploits the convenience of phone-as-key and BLE fobs, similar to attacks on other brands using BLE for entry/ This Tesla feature can thwart drive-away thefts, but it must be manually enabled by the owner. Hyundai and Kia (pre-2022/2023): Most vulnerable overall due to lack of immobilizers; relay and physical attacks are both pickups (Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150): Targeted for parts and theft, with keyless entry increasing risk in newer keyless models (Toyota Camry, Dodge Charger, Honda Accord/Civic): Newer trims with push-button start are susceptible to relay attacks, though immobilizers are generally and other BLE/NFC-based vehicles: Vulnerable to advanced relay attacks, especially if owners do not use additional security features. Despite years of warnings, most manufacturers have stuck with outdated cryptography and unidirectional signals. "Security by obscurity" (hoping hackers won't find the flaws) still rules, even as researchers and thieves race to outsmart each other. The result: a boom in thefts, and a booming business for aftermarket Faraday pouches that block radio signals-because your $60,000 SUV apparently needs a $10 shield the maker won't fork out for. Some researchers are pushing for smarter solutions: adaptive frequency-hopping, two-way authentication protocols, and dynamic cryptographic keys. These upgrades would make it much harder for thieves to intercept or spoof signals. But until automakers make these standard, your car's digital handshake is a handshake with risk. If your car unlocks with a wave or a ping, it's at risk. Until the industry catches up, use all available security features, and consider a Faraday pouch or steering lock. Convenience shouldn't mean handing your keys to a thief. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
5 teens arrested in crash with multiple stolen vehicles
The Brief Five teens, ages 13 to 15, were arrested after fleeing from a stolen vehicle in Montgomery County on Tuesday evening. Police recovered four stolen cars, including a Kia and three Hyundais, at the scene of a crash and subsequent traffic stop. All teens were charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and later released to their guardians. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - A group of five teens were arrested and four stolen vehicles recovered after a crash in Montgomery County Tuesday evening. What we know On Tuesday around 7:30 p.m., Montgomey County police responded to the intersection of Heathfield Drive and Parkland Drive after reports of a crash. Officers found three cars, empty and idling. The cars, one Kia and two Hyundais, were determined to be stolen. Police at the scene saw a dark colored Kia speed away with multiple people inside. The Kia stopped at Weller Road, where five teens got out of the car. The Kia was also determined to have been stolen. The five teens – one 13-year-old, three 14-year-olds and a 15-year-old, were taken into custody and charged with possession of a stolen vehicle. They were released to their guardians. The Source Information in this story comes from Montgomery County Department of Police.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
Five teens arrested in connection with stolen vehicles, crash in Montgomery County, police say
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — Five teenagers ranging from 13-15 years old were arrested in connection to four stolen vehicles after officers responded to a crash on Tuesday. Around 7:30 p.m. on June 3, officers from the Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD) responded to the intersection of Heathfield Drive and Parkland Drive for the report of a collision in which multiple teenagers were seen fleeing, police said. Officers arrived to find three empty vehicles at the scene — two Hyundais and a Kia. A fourth vehicle, another Kia, was spotted by officers speeding away with multiple passengers, MCPD said. Photos: Airbags deployed in Montgomery County crash that injured three The Kia stopped at Weller Road, where five teenagers were seen getting out. They were all taken into custody. All four vehicles were reportedly stolen. The teens arrested included a 13-year-old, three 14-year-olds and a 15-year-old. Upon their arrest, they were found to be in possession of items of evidentiary value, including knives and tools used to break into cars. The teens were transported to the 4th District, charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and released to their guardians. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
San Francisco Chronicle
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- San Francisco Chronicle
This is the most stolen car in San Francisco — and it's not a Honda or Toyota
For the 12th year in a row, Hondas were the most frequently stolen car brand in San Francisco. But over the last two years, another car maker saw one of its models stolen more than any other car in the city. While car thefts in San Francisco are low compared to prior years, new police department data shows that more than 1,200 Hondas were stolen in the city across 2023 and 2024. But the most frequently stolen model in San Francisco was the Hyundai Elantra, which a recent national study found was the vehicle most at risk of being stolen across the country. In San Francisco, out of 1,120 Hyundais stolen, more than 500 of them were Elantras. The second-most frequently stolen car model was the Honda Civic, with 420 thefts from 2023 to 2024. Following that was the Honda Accord, with 339 thefts, and the Hyundai Sonata, with 298 thefts. Honda, Hyundai and Toyota were the top three car brands stolen most from 2023 to 2024, respectively. The number of brands stolen in a particular city often strongly corresponds with the numbers of cars that are popular in that city or state, said Brian Maas, president of the California New Dealers Association, who said he wasn't surprised to see Honda and Toyota in the top three, given how pervasive they are across the state. 'Californians have expressed a longstanding preference for Toyota and Honda vehicles,' he said. 'It makes logical sense. The more you sell, the more opportunities for those vehicles to be stolen.' Hyundais were most recently listed as the 7th largest brand in California, Maas said, well behind Tesla and other brands. But in San Francisco, Hyundais saw a sharp spike in theft in San Francisco from 2022 to 2023, when the number of thefts jumped from about 140 to over 750. By 2024, however, thefts of Hyundais had fallen by a third. Still, the temporary spike of Hyundai thefts aligns with the national study of stolen vehicles, where researchers speculated that the Elantra's 'popularity among thieves' may be because its parts are compatible with other Hyundai models, a boon that makes the models more amenable to black-market resale and chop shops. Across the country, more than 48,445 Hyundai Elantras were stolen in 2023, according to Tinting Laws, a group of window tinting law experts who analyzed data from the Insurance Information Institute. Data from the Highway Loss Data Institute found that Hyundai and Kia thefts rapidly increased in recent years across the country, which the institute partly attributed to videos posted to social media that broadcasted the fact that certain car models lacked a security device that would normally stop a car from turning off without a specific fob or key. Hyundai and Kia agreed to pay upward of $200 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that alleged the companies manufactured vehicles that made the cars easier to steal, the New York Times reported. Recent theft numbers for Kia in San Francisco may reflect what was happening across the nation. Kia thefts jumped in 2021 from 43 to 97 in 2022. By 2023, they had reached 547. In 2024, thefts had plummeted to 207. Hyundai Motor America said it had included free software upgrades, cylinder protectors and reimbursement programs to thwart thefts of certain 'entry-level models' that lacked immobilizers, Reuters reported. The company said 68% of vehicles at risk had received those updates. Tesla — which held 12% market share of vehicles sold in California in 2024 — has not seen significant increases in thefts in San Francisco. Tesla thefts have gone up slightly in the past two years, but not by much. In 2023, there were 33 reported thefts, and those reduced slightly to 20 in 2024, SFPD data shows. Maas said that although Tesla had moved up to the top three in popularity across the state, their market share seems to be declining and their reshare value has been dropping precipitously, which could explain why the cars are not as attractive to thieves. 'Stealing vehicles is a crime of opportunity. … And you're going to have a harder time getting rid of the parts on a Tesla vehicle than you would on some of those other cars,' said Maas. 'Toyotas and Hondas are going to stay on the road for a long time and consequentially, the value of those vehicles as used cars is going to be significantly higher.' Nationwide, car theft numbers are seeing decreases. In 2024, about 850,000 vehicles were reported stolen nationwide, according to data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau. 2024 was the first time since 2021 that thefts did not surpass 1 million. Numbers in San Francisco seem to reflect similar trends. Car thefts decreased by 22% last year, from over 5,100 in 2023 to just under 4,000 in 2024. Harsha Devulapalli contributed to this report.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
St. Cloud sees sudden spike in car thefts involving Kias and Hyundais
The wave of car thefts targeting certain Kia and Hyundai models that hit the Twin Cities a few years ago seems to have found its way to St. Cloud. St. Cloud PD reported on Thursday that it has seen an increase in thefts and attempted thefts reported around the city, many of which involve Kias and Hyundais manufactured between the early 2010s and early 2020s. Police say that until now, St. Cloud had mostly avoided the "trend" that saw these models targeted in other cities, which followed widespread exposure of an apparent security flaw that was shared widely on TikTok. In a press release, St. Cloud PD confirms the vehicles are being "specifically targeted due to a widely known security issues that allows thieves to start vehicles without a key." "The suspects in these cases are primarily juvenile males," the department continues, "and investigations indicate that the activity is widespread, affecting neighborhoods throughout the city." "The purpose of these thefts appears to be joy riding as there is no evidence that the vehicles are being stolen for monetary gain," the release says. Parents are being asked to keep an eye on their children and watch for signs that they may be involved. The security flaws on certain Kia and Hyundai vehicles sparked nationwide lawsuits, with a civil investigation also launched by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who accused the car companies of violating the state's consumer protection and public nuisance laws by failing to equip anti-theft technology.
