2019 GT broken into, weird Fordpass issue

[Bikeman315]

Because of paranoia over the break in I've removed my car from fordpass.

If you are that paranoid I would suggest getting rid of your cellphone as well. Any wireless device can be hacked. The chances though are probably 1 in a billion. Unless someone is out to get you.......

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[Derder]

If you are that paranoid I would suggest getting rid of your cellphone as well. Any wireless device can be hacked. The chances though are probably 1 in a billion. Unless someone is out to get you.......

Mainly going off what the cops told me this morning, there's been a string of these in the last month in this area and they aren't sure of the method, there's no forced entry and no cars are being stolen, just things from inside the cars. They recommended disabling anything that allows for remote entry.

 

[Elp_jc]

A related question: What do thieves need to get your signal from your fob? Do you need to press a button? Is the fob or the car transmitting all the time? One of the two has to do it, in order to sense when you're close to the car. Just curious. If thieves can steal the signal from your fob without pressing any buttons, it wouldn't matter if you disable 'smart entry', since they can just unlock the car the same way, no? Just curious, to be more informed for the times I travel, and car sleeps outside. Thx.

As a side comment, I don't trust neither the Ford app tracking, nor having Wi-Fi activated, so have both things off. I do have 'smart entry' activated, since I don't like having to fish the stupid fob out of my pocket every time. But I think it's easier for a thief to get the fob signal if you press a button than from the 'smart' feature, but now I want to know the answer to that .

 

[Derder]

A related question: What do thieves need to get your signal from your fob? Do you need to press a button? Is the fob or the car transmitting all the time? One of the two has to do it, in order to sense when you're close to the car. Just curious. If thieves can steal the signal from your fob without pressing any buttons, it wouldn't matter if you disable 'smart entry', since they can just unlock the car the same way, no? Just curious, to be more informed for the times I travel, and car sleeps outside. Thx.

As a side comment, I don't trust neither the Ford app tracking, nor having Wi-Fi activated, so have both things off. I do have 'smart entry' activated, since I don't like having to fish the stupid fob out of my pocket every time. But I think it's easier for a thief to get the fob signal if you press a button than from the 'smart' feature, but now I want to know the answer to that .

From my limited searching yesterday I found a few forums that specifically mentioned smart entry, as apparently the fob is constantly transmitting a signal and the car is searching for it, but the range is obviously very limited. There are apparently ways to scan for and then boost the signal from the fob to trick the car into thinking it's close enough to the door to unlock. Otherwise I doubt they were sitting anywhere waiting for me to actually use it. I was a hermit even before current world events, drive maybe once a month and at very random times.

 

[cmxPPL219]

From my limited searching yesterday I found a few forums that specifically mentioned smart entry, as apparently the fob is constantly transmitting a signal and the car is searching for it, but the range is obviously very limited. There are apparently ways to scan for and then boost the signal from the fob to trick the car into thinking it's close enough to the door to unlock. Otherwise I doubt they were sitting anywhere waiting for me to actually use it. I was a hermit even before current world events, drive maybe once a month and at very random times.

Sorry to hear about this OP.
This is absolutely correct, this is how these thieves manage to gain access to newer vehicles with push start. (ironically, cars with the previous generation type of remote entry but still require a key to go into the ignition, were safer, because of the passive immobilizer system where the only way to start the car is with the proper key in the ignition column, so it can detect the uniquely programmed chip inside the key itself.)

I saw a video that someone did of Ford in Europe, they have started to make a key fob (Focus, or FIesta? Can't recall) whereby if the Fob is inactive (physically not moving) for like a few minutes, the Fob itself goes to sleep and stops transmitting a signal. Thus, these signal repeaters that thieves use to boost the signal no longer work. So, imagine coming home, setting down the keys, and after a few minutes, the Fob goes to sleep. The moment you pick it up, it senses movement, and begins to transmit again. This would be the perfect solution. Not sure why this has not been implemented across the board with all OEMs everywhere to prevent these thefts.

Otherwise, the only protection we have is to leave the keys as far away from front entrances of our houses as possible, and place keys in Faraday pouches, or literally, what we do, place the key Fobs in metal boxes. They seem to have been proven to block the repeaters. We also keep the keys far away from the house entrance as possible. (Thieves count on people usually leaving keys by the entrance).

Another thing you can do to prevent car thefts is the above, and also use The Club (I know, people will start laughing here lol) but this will prevent all but the most dedicated thieves. At that point, if they cut the steering wheel, your car was meant to be taken.

 

[cmxPPL219]

Here's the link

 

[Mustang5ohMan]

Yeah this is a similar experience dodge has with the computer and fobs.
My question is though, when you go to get rid of this car and sell it how can you delete your information from the Ford Pass. I wouldn’t need to check on the car and wouldn’t want anyone checking on me either.

 

[Bikeman315]

Yeah this is a similar experience dodge has with the computer and fobs.
My question is though, when you go to get rid of this car and sell it how can you delete your information from the Ford Pass. I wouldn’t need to check on the car and wouldn’t want anyone checking on me either.

I believe that when you delete the car from your account the data goes with it.

This is a very interesting read. I wonder how many people actually do.
https://owner.ford.com/fordpass/fordpass-privacy-policy.html

I love this though.

Security and Retention of Your Information: We use systems, policies, procedures, and technology to provide reasonable security to protect and maintain the security and accuracy of your information. We will only retain your personal information for so long as reasonably necessary to fulfill legitimate business purposes.

 

[Elp_jc]

the fob is constantly transmitting a signal and the car is searching for it, but the range is obviously very limited.

So the range of the 'smart entry' signal is a lot weaker than when you physically press a fob button, so it should be a lot safer by that logic, no? The issue here is if the thieves gained access to your car via stealing the fob signal somehow, or stealing your FordPass data, and doing it from that app. Any word on that? At any rate, I'm like a hermit too for now (COVID + chemos), and without ever setting up either Ford Pass or Wi-Fi, I feel safer .

 

[Mustang5ohMan]

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a...t-risk-previous-owners-may-still-have-access/

Here is a good read.
It talks about the ford pass app and maybe doing a deletion of the sync 3

 

[raptor17GT]

yeah we get a lot of cars stolen in the UK with this method - in the early days the owners were blamed for leaving the fobs in their cars because the manufacturers said no way could they be stolen without a fob being presented. Blame the customer, first rule of companies. Defo have a pouch for the fob(s) and absolutely dont leave keys by the house door

 

[Bikeman315]

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a...t-risk-previous-owners-may-still-have-access/

Here is a good read.
It talks about the ford pass app and maybe doing a deletion of the sync 3

This article is three years old when FordPass Connect first came out. There have been numerous updates since then. But the basic recommendations remain the same. Delete the vehicle from the app and do a “master reset” for that vehicle. Data is then gone.

 

[shogun32]

Car companies can't spell security, let alone implement it. Frankly there should be billion dollar fines levied against the industry that is so incompetent they are repeating the mistakes from 30 years ago and inventing new ones, like "proprietary" crypto that is so laughable the approver should be shot.

 

[shogun32]

https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/connected-car-cyber-attacks-have-skyrocketed-99-past-year

 

[Briebee72]

Hey old school techie here, have you tried unplugging and plugging it back in LOL> I mean disconnecting the battery for a while and see if that resets stuff?

I find it odd that people would be that sophisticated and have the equipment to do all that and then just go after loose items in the car. I would figure they would have stolen the car.

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