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Why Fingerprint system Identisafe-09 is better than any other form of car security system or RFID car security system. Original Source-
Security Watch : By Robert Vamosi
Senior editor, CNET Reviews May 5, 2006
Gone in 60 seconds--the high-tech version
Let's say you just bought a Mercedes S550,
a state-of-the-art, high-tech vehicle with an antitheft keyless ignition
system. After pulling into a Starbucks to celebrate with a grande latte
and a scone while checking your messages on a BlackBerry, a man in a
T-shirt and jeans with a laptop sits next to you and starts up a friendly
conversation: "Is that the S550? How do you like it so far?"
Eager to share, you converse for a few minutes, then the man thanks you
and is gone. A moment later you look up to discover your new Mercedes is
gone as well. Now, decrypting one 40-bit code sequence can not only
disengage the security system and unlock the doors, it can also start the
car--making the hack tempting for thieves. The owner of the code is now
the true owner of the car. And while high-end, high-tech auto thefts like
this are more common in Europe today, they will soon start happening in
America. The sad thing is that manufacturers of keyless devices don't seem
to care.
Antitheft systems get more sophisticated A second antitheft RFID use is for remote vehicle immobilizers. These are tiny chips embedded inside the plastic head of the ignition keys, and they are used in more than 150 million vehicles today. Improper use prevents the car's fuel pump from operating correctly. Unless the driver has the correct key chip installed, the car will run out of fuel a few blocks from the attempted theft. (That's why valet keys don't have the chips installed; valets need to drive the car only short distances.) One estimate suggests that since their introduction in the late 1990s, vehicle immobilizers have resulted in a 90 percent decrease in auto thefts nationwide.
But can this RF system be defeated? Yes
Is Fingerprint security for cars the solution? Yes Given that the car is more or less broadcasting its code and looking for a response, it seems possible that a thief could try different codes and see what the responses are. Last fall the authors of a study from Johns Hopkins University and the security firm RSA used a laptop equipped with a microreader. They were able to capture the code sequence, decrypt it, then disengage the alarm and unlock and start a 2005 Ford Escape SUV without the key; they even provided an online video of their "car theft." But if you think that such a hack might occur only in a pristine academic environment, with the right equipment, you're wrong.
Real-world examples And Soucek isn't an isolated example. Recently, soccer player David Beckham had not one but two custom-designed BMW X5 SUVs stolen, the most recent theft occurred in Madrid, Spain. Police believe an auto theft gang using software instead of hardware pinched both of Beckham's BMWs.
Gone in…a few minutes? In the case of David Beckham, police think that the criminals waited until he left his car, then proceeded to use a brute-force attack until the car was disarmed, unlocked, and stolen.
Hear no evil, speak no evil Unfortunately, the companies making RFID systems for cars don't think there's a problem. The 17th annual CardTechSecureTech conference took place this past week in San Francisco, and I had an opportunity to talk with a handful of RFID vendors; none wanted to be quoted nor would any talk about 128-bit AES encryption replacing the current 40-bit code anytime soon. Few were familiar with the Johns Hopkins/RSA study I cited, and even fewer knew about keyless ignition cars being stolen in Europe. Even Consumer Reports acknowledges that keyless ignition systems might not be secure for prime time, yet the RFID industry adamantly continues to whistle its happy little tune. Until changes are made in the keyless systems, my next car will definitely have an ignition key that can't be copied by a laptop. Which one is better for car security? Biometrics or RFID Technology?
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