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Motorcycle Gang Busted For Hacking and Stealing Over 150 Jeep Wranglers (bleepingcomputer.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the justice-prevails dept.

An anonymous reader writes: "The FBI has arrested members of a motorcycle gang accused to have hacked and stolen over 150 Jeep Wranglers from Southern California, which they later crossed the border into Mexico to have stripped down for parts," reports Bleeping Computer. What stands apart is how the gang operated. This involved gang members getting the Jeep Wrangler VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), accessing a proprietary Jeep database, and getting two codes needed to create a duplicate replacement key. Gang members used one code to cut the key, while they used the second code while stealing the car, connecting a handheld programming computer to the car, and programming the replacement key's chip, synchronizing it to the car's dashboard. All of this took under 2 minutes and was also possible because Jeep Wranglers allow thieves to pop the hood from the outside of the car and disable the alarm even before using their non-authenticated replacement key. Officials say that all the database queries for the stolen VIN codes came from a Jeep dealer in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Court documents don't say if the dealer cooperated or gang members hacked its system. The motorcycle gang's name was Hooligans and the sub-unit that stole the Jeeps was named Dirty 30.

14 of 83 comments (clear)

  1. It starts with... by k3vlar · · Score: 2

    [...] possible because Jeep Wranglers allow thieves to pop the hood from the outside of the car and disable the alarm even before using their non-authenticated replacement key.

    There's your main problem right there.

    --
    Unlike porn, which yada yada rimshot hey-ooh!
    1. Re:It starts with... by dunkindave · · Score: 3, Insightful

      [...] possible because Jeep Wranglers allow thieves to pop the hood from the outside of the car and disable the alarm even before using their non-authenticated replacement key.

      There's your main problem right there.

      If you look you will find that a lot of car hoods can be opened by inserting the right tool through the grill to access the locking mechanism. It's a lot like how a slim jim can get you in through the door.

    2. Re:It starts with... by k3vlar · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What I mean is opening the hood while the vehicle is locked should trigger the alarm, just as opening the door with a slim jim would. Or the horn/alarm circuitry should be located behind the firewall so it can't be disabled so easily.

      --
      Unlike porn, which yada yada rimshot hey-ooh!
    3. Re:It starts with... by LazyBoot · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That can be done for any car - how do you think dealers make a new key when you misplace your original keys?

      It may make sense to have that capability. But there's no reason for the whole database to be replicated anywhere outside of some secure vault within Jeep's corporate headquarters in Italy. Dealers should send authenticated individual queries to the central system as needed.

      Since they could track it down to a specific dealer, it sounds like that is exactly how it works.

    4. Re:It starts with... by locopuyo · · Score: 3, Funny

      Great idea! They could even go a step further and ban breaking into and stealing cars. Then the alarms wouldn't go off.

      --
      The Official Site of 1337 Pwnage
  2. Re:Hooligans by dunkindave · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I doubt the gang did the hacking. There is probably a person or group who figured out how to do this hack, then sold the info and devices with instructions to the gang who used it. It's a lot like hackers of old versus script kiddies today. A couple decades ago to hack a system normally meant the hacker had the skills and understanding, but today it is often just a person who knows how to run a program that someone else wrote.

  3. Low-tech solution by TWX · · Score: 3, Interesting

    How about a low-tech solution of blocking the visible-under-the-windshield VIN with a piece of paper? Is that legal? It seems like it would help reduce the problems, or at least make the thieves more inclined to move on to a different vehicle.

    --
    Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    1. Re:Low-tech solution by dunkindave · · Score: 2

      How about a low-tech solution of blocking the visible-under-the-windshield VIN with a piece of paper? Is that legal? It seems like it would help reduce the problems, or at least make the thieves more inclined to move on to a different vehicle.

      In California it is illegal, but you can use the CA DMV website to look up the VIN if you have the license plate number, so covering the VIN would just add one more step for the crooks.

    2. Re:Low-tech solution by TheGavster · · Score: 3, Informative

      On my car, the VIN is also etched into the corner of each of the glass pieces. Since you also need to regularly supply a VIN for registration, service, and even sometimes to take the car onto a private lot, the best thing would be for Chrysler to require something more private in order to get the codes for the key and the computer :/

      --
      "Because Science" is one step from "Because old book". Try "Because of my experiment testing my falsifiable assertion".
  4. Re: Hooligans by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    The name comes from a notorious Irish family.

  5. I think it's time. by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's time that you should be able to program your car with your own codes because obviously dealerships cannot be trusted to secure them.

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    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:I think it's time. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      It's time that you should be able to program your car with your own codes because obviously dealerships cannot be trusted to secure them.

      Nothing is stopping you from having the locks changed the day you buy it. Changing codes is normally harder, sometimes requiring changing out the computer.

    2. Re:I think it's time. by geekmux · · Score: 2

      It's time that you should be able to program your car with your own codes because obviously dealerships cannot be trusted to secure them.

      Nothing is stopping you from having the locks changed the day you buy it. Changing codes is normally harder, sometimes requiring changing out the computer.

      Uh yeah, nothing is stopping you, except for the fact that "locks" these days are in fact codes, because many cars aren't coming with physical keys anymore. They're configured with wireless keyfobs instead. Not even an ignition key. My cars have been that way for 10 years now.

  6. Re:Hooligans by michelcolman · · Score: 4, Funny

    Or the gang has one member who sits in a dark apartment room surrounded by computer screens full of green text and who's in constant contact with them over a secret radio frequency.