the mrs has just spent a load of money on a fancy focus with push button stuff and i know i'm supposed to do stuff with the odb port etc and get a faraday cage and what not but whats the deal then with it all

surely plenty of folks have had their cars either modified or the odb ports relocated so i'm looking for some pointers and someone who might be able to do the job for me if i can't do it myself

thanks

 

Big discklock !

Surely anything related to the OBD port is pointless, as by the time they need the OBD port for anything, they're already in the car and driving away ?

 

Get a Ghost immobiliser fitted, cheap and effective.

 

Lock your keys in a metal box ha ha. Im sure this is supposed to help.

 

From what I heard you child get to it from outside the car via the grille or something

 

This, any physical deterrent, as they will then move onto easier targets.

So there are two types of issues with keyless entry. The first is relaying, whereby a repeater is used to amplify and relay the signal to the vehicle, you can mitigate against this by wrapping keys in tin foil.

The second lies in a vulnerability which can be exploited via the OBD port (which is why some disable them by removing fuse etc) basically it allows someone to start the car without the key being present.

So far as I am aware, some manufactures have released a software update to mitigate this exploit. I do recall that Ford were in denial over the issue, although this may have now changed.

Martin

 

The visual aspect of a disclock should encourage them to move on. And CCTV is cheap these days....worth sticking a good camera at the cars parking location.
And tracker systems are cheap too.

If the car is worth much....they are small measures really, that might make a difference.

 

I wouldn't worry so much.... That's what insurance is for, if it gets knicked buy something else with the insurance payout

 

I'm sure thieves love that attitude, and it then puts all of our insurance premiums up.

 

well, it seems that my security issues were unfounded as we couldn't even get into the car this morning WITH the keys

i'm going to kick it and see if it behaves

got cameras, the mrs isn't going to apply the disclock on her nice leather steering wheel, got the upgraded key thing going on potentially for thursday if we can avoid the covid stuff

 

If someone wants it they'll probably take it so there's no point worrying.
It's just a metal box.
You can go online now and buy appropriate equipment to disable modern electronics if your a serious car thief.

 

That is essentially what the OBD flaw does anyways.

The point is a disc lock is a physical deterrent, if they did decide to proceed, they would have to remove it.

Martin

 

A disklok is also nothing more than the mildest of inconvenience to the determined thief and is only a minor deterent to low end opportunists.
I'm not saying I want my car stolen.... If I caught someone in the act I'd break their fingers with my estwing but if it did go missing it wouldn't break my heart... I'd look forward to the insurance payout and go car hunting again .... Writing of my own car cost me 20 quid a month increased premium so I imagine the increase it made to all your premiums was negligible

 

Its a focus, leave the keys in it and the doors unlocked and they might do you a favour.