Millions of Cars Vulnerable to Theft Due to Dealer-Installed Device Hackable via Bluetooth

The Security Arms Race

Anti-theft devices such as engine immobilizers have helped curb car theft, with Ford even offering a more advanced remote start-blocking feature called Start Inhibit. But despite these efforts, vehicle theft is far from eliminated, especially as thieves continue finding new and smarter ways to break in.

In an ironic twist, a new study from the University of California San Diego found that at least 2.2 million vehicles could be more vulnerable to theft because of a dealer-installed anti-theft device. Researchers found that an attacker within Bluetooth range could connect to affected devices and...