Subaru's wireless keyless entry protocol uses a system of "rolling codes" that jump from one value to another in a way that is supposed to be impossible to predict without possession of a cryptographic secret, shared by both the keys and the cars' firmware.

But an error in the design of this protocol makes it very easy to guess the upcoming codes by listening in on an earlier lock/unlock session. That means that when you bip your Subaru, a nearby eavesdropper with $15-30 worth of radio equipment can intercept the session, do a little math, and figure out what codes will re-open your car after you walk away.

The defect was discovered and documented by Dutch electronics engineer Tom Wimmenhove, who experimented on his own Subaru to make his finding. Wimmenhove tried to report his findings to Subaru but they brushed him off and asked him to fill in a questionnaire in order to become a "partner" before they'd listen to him.

Here are some affected models: Baja (2006); Forester (2005-10); Impreza (2005-11); Legacy (2005-10); Outback (2005-10).

The rig to carry out such attacks is not even expensive, varying from $15 to $30, depending on price and used components. "Currently, I'm using a Raspberry Pi B+ ($25), a Wi-Fi dongle ($2) and a TV dongle ($8), but the Raspberry Pi B+ and WiFi dongle could both be replaced with a single Raspberry Pi Zero W ($10), which has WiFi on board," Wimmenhove told Bleeping. "Then you need a 433MHz antenna ($1) and an MCX to SMA convertor ($1) to stick the antenna onto the dongle," he added. "Finally, you need something to power the thing. I'm assuming most people have some kind of Lithium-Ion power bank laying around. If not, they don't cost much either."



Unpatched Exploit Lets You Clone Key Fobs and Open Subaru Cars

[Catalin Cimpanu/Bleeping Computer]

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