Major car firm faces legal action over car that can be stolen ‘effortlessly in seconds’
Elliott Ingram has spoken out to the Observer newspaper, revealing how he was stunned at how a thief made off with his Ioniq 5 deploying a device to mimic the smart key.
A major car firm faces legal action over a car that can be stolen "effortlessly" in seconds. Elliott Ingram has spoken out to the Observer newspaper, revealing how he was stunned at how a thief made off with his Ioniq 5 deploying a device to mimic the smart key.
He says he should have been warned. “This security system has been completely blown open, so anyone can attack it,” he said. “It’s no longer fit for purpose.”
Ingram discovered a key emulator device being marketed online for €15,000 (£12,500). “The device records the signal from the car and within 10 seconds to two minutes completely [duplicates] the native one,” says the website promoting the device.
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“The key can be stored in the device’s memory. Open, close, start and go at any time.” Ingram fumed: “The thief was able to enter the vehicle and steal it effortlessly in seconds. Had I been informed of this specific security risk, I could have taken additional deterrent measures, such as installing a secondary immobiliser or using a steering lock.”
He said the motoring manufacturer should “urgently inform” its customers over the flaw. The Observer reports Ken Munro, a founding partner of Pen Test Partners, a cyber security testing house, said: “The average car thief doesn’t need to be a hacker.
"They just need to buy a product that allows them to hack and steal a car.” Hyundia issued a statement in the wake of the newspaper's story this weekend.
The car firm issued a response after Mr Ingram's complaints. “The software and hardware updates that we have and are implementing will significantly reduce the risk of this particular form of vehicle theft occurring in the UK,” said a spokesperson.
“However, this is a race against very determined, well-funded individuals who stop at nothing to steal vehicles for multiple purposes.”