Headlight Hacking: The Latest Creative Method Used by Car Thieves

Car theft has been a longstanding problem around the world, and car thieves have always been finding new ways to steal vehicles. One of the latest methods that thieves are using to steal cars is called “headlight hacking”. This is a very creative method of stealing cars, and it’s becoming increasingly popular among car thieves.

The method of theft begins with the car’s headlight module, which offers thieves an easy way to get hooked into the vehicle’s CAN bus system. The CAN bus system of a vehicle is the method by which the numerous ECUs throughout a modern vehicle communicate with each other. Thieves are using this central nervous system to their advantage by executing an attack referred to as “CAN injection”.

The tool used by thieves for this type of theft is disguised as a JBL Bluetooth speaker, and it is sold on the dark web. Once the thief has access to the vehicle’s control CAN bus, the device impersonates the vehicle’s key fob. The thief can then unlock the doors and start the car without ever coming into contact with the vehicle’s actual key fob.

As of this article’s publishing, there isn’t a great defense against this sort of theft. However, there are some precautions that car owners can take to reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim. The first is to try and park your vehicle in places that don’t allow easy and uninterrupted access to its headlights. Additionally, if you notice that someone has been tampering with the trim or body panels near/around your headlights, you may want to contact the police.

The good news is that automakers are aware of this problem and are taking steps to address it. The initial fix suggested by experts is a software update that recognizes the sort of activity on the CAN bus systems that this injection tool sends out. However, experts also believe that a “Zero Trust” approach to CAN bus systems is the only way to go for a permanent fix. This would involve encrypting every message from one ECU to another and carrying authentication codes that can’t be spoofed. Additionally, every ECU would need to be equipped with secret keys, and every car would need to carry its own secret keys to prevent a universal key extractor from being created. This would take considerable time and effort from a vehicle manufacturer.

In conclusion, car theft is a problem that continues to evolve with technology, and car owners need to stay vigilant to prevent becoming a victim. While there may not be a perfect defense against headlight hacking at the moment, being aware of the issue and taking precautions can help reduce the likelihood of becoming a target. Car manufacturers are working on a permanent solution, and it’s only a matter of time before a solution is implemented.