Skip to main content

Volkswagen sues to prevent hacking of luxury car anti-theft systems

A group of Dutch and British scientists at the UK’s University of Birmingham has discovered the secret algorithm used to identify the identity of each unique ignition key used to start luxury and exotic cars such as Porsches, Lamborghinis, Audis and Bentleys, all part of the German Volkswagen Group. The scientists, Baris Ege, Roel Verdult and Flavio Garcia had hoped to publish the paper at the USENIX Security Conference in Washington next month but Volkswagen sued to prevent them from disclosing key details
July 31, 2013 Read time: 1 min
A group of Dutch and British scientists at the UK’s University of Birmingham has discovered the secret algorithm used to identify the identity of each unique ignition key used to start luxury and exotic cars such as Porsches, Lamborghinis, Audis and Bentleys, all part of the German 994 Volkswagen Group.

The scientists, Baris Ege, Roel Verdult and Flavio Garcia had hoped to publish the paper at the USENIX Security Conference in Washington next month but Volkswagen sued to prevent them from disclosing key details of their work, arguing that publicising the flaw would put the security of some of its most expensive vehicles at risk.

The UK’s high court has imposed an injunction stopping the publishing of such papers, while the university has issued a statement saying it will ‘defer publication’ of the paper.

Related Content

  • January 11, 2019
    Here Technologies to provide live traffic service for Audi and Daimler cars
    Here Technologies has announced it has been selected by Daimler to provide live information for its range of Mercedes Benz vehicles across the Americas and Asia Pacific, at CES 2019. The Here Real-Time Traffic service will provide drivers with information on real-time road conditions, including incidents and construction zones. Initially, the service will be available for Model Year (MY) 2019 2019 C-Class, E-Class and S-Class sedans, coupes and wagons. It is also planned to be enabled for MY 2020 A-Clas
  • July 17, 2012
    Growth of telematics-based pay as you drive car insurance systems
    Car insurance made cheaper by telematics has returned to news headlines in the UK this year. Will it really take off this time and can vehicle tracking provide an effective tool for enforcing or encouraging insurance compliance? Jon Masters reports Will 2012 go down as the year that telematics-based car insurance took off? In the UK at least, a groundswell of new policies, with premiums priced on the basis of tracked and analysed driving style, suggests a turning point has been reached. Some would argue t
  • February 6, 2020
    Polarised imaging gives enforcement clarity
    Polarised imaging advances have finally allowed ITS technology to catch up with previously unenforceable international bans on smoking in cars, says Sony’s Stephane Clauss
  • June 10, 2014
    South African agencies in dispute over road tolls
    The city of Cape Town and South Africa’s roads agency Sanral are again in dispute over the proposed US$936 million N1 and N2 tolling project, with the city saying Sanral is attempting to keep the public in the dark about the costs of tolling. The Western Cape High Court last year put a temporary stop to the project until the finalisation of the city’s review application in which it is asking the court to set aside the decision to declare the N1 and N2 toll roads. Sanral initially withheld what it cons