The tech used here is the popular Flipper Zero, an ethical hacker’s swiss army knife, capable of all sorts of things such as WiFi attacks or emulating NFC tags. Now, 404 Media has found an underground trade where much shadier hackers sell extra software and patches for the Flipper Zero to unlock all manner of cars, including models popular in the U.S. The hackers say the tool can be used against Ford, Audi, Volkswagen, Subaru, Hyundai, Kia, and several other brands, including sometimes dozens of specific vehicle models, with no easy fix from car manufacturers.

  • TimeSquirrel@kbin.melroy.org
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    12 hours ago

    I use it at work to clone a customer’s proximity card when I work in their building so they don’t have to leave me theirs to get around. The one legitimate use I found.

    I guess being able to trigger the customer service announcement without having to find a button in a store is nice.

      • MartianSands@sh.itjust.works
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        12 hours ago

        That’s probably debatable, if they have permission. They probably shouldn’t have been given permission, but that’s a separate issue

        • Nougat@fedia.io
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          12 hours ago

          Ideally, there should be a visitor card available to be used, with its clearances configured as appropriate for the visitor in question. Having a person hand over their own card (and PIN, if applicable) isn’t a great idea either, but it’s far better than copying that card, with or without permission (probably without, if we’re being honest).

          • MartianSands@sh.itjust.works
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            12 hours ago

            Oh, absolutely. It’s not something which should be encouraged, and against a well designed modern system it probably isn’t possible (there must be some challenge-response type NFC systems on the market).

            I’m just saying it isn’t unambiguously “illegitimate”

            • kn33@lemmy.world
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              10 hours ago

              there must be some challenge-response type NFC systems on the market

              There are. Hotels use them for door key cards so they can’t be cloned.

              • possumparty@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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                9 hours ago

                Unfortunately… I was trying to clone a room key to my phone so I could just tap to enter when I stay 10 weeks in the same room.

        • TimeSquirrel@kbin.melroy.org
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          9 hours ago

          I usually do it when we take over a customer’s access control system and we we have half their doors on the new system and half in the old still and are migrating them over. I’m an electronic security tech, this is what I do for a living.

      • ozymandias@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        11 hours ago

        le·git·i·mate adjective /ləˈjidəmət/

        1. conforming to the law or to rules.

        “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law” - Aleister Crowley

        seems legit to me…

    • cecilkorik@lemmy.ca
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      12 hours ago

      Oh I think I used it to unlock some extra characters in Skylanders at some point too, but I don’t really play those types of games anymore.