Tesla Unsecured? Bluetooth Hack Allows Thieves To Steal Vehicle

Tesla vehicles are some of the most sophisticated driving machines in the world. Owners of the futuristic electric cars don’t use keys but rather their smartphone’s Bluetooth or a backup keycard to gain access. One cybersecurity firm found a way to exploit Tesla’s Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, in which they were able to remotely unlock the vehicle without the owner’s smartphone or keycard, according to Reuters.

UK-based NCC Group researcher Sultan Qasim Khan published a video of him standing in a parking lot next to his 2021 Tesla Model Y. He had a small relay device connected to a laptop. The device could replicate his smartphone’s Bluetooth signature that was in the range of the relay connected to the computer (but out of range of the vehicle) to unlock the car and drive off.

Khan has proved car thieves can remotely unlock and steal a Tesla by exploiting the car’s BLE connection — something that might not be easy to fix with a software patch.

“Model 3 and Model Y vehicles are at risk from a vulnerability in the technology, which is powered by Bluetooth, which allows thieves to unlock a Tesla from 25 meters away,” The Telegraph said. – READ MORE