(Photo: CHRIS YOUNG/AFP/Getty Images)
For two decades, car security has undergone a revolution, moving from simple keys to complex keyless entry systems. Automakers like Mercedes, Audi, BMW, and Volvo have invested heavily to protect their vehicles from theft, a highly profitable criminal enterprise. However, most car owners rarely consider the security of their key fobs, wireless access, and smartphone apps that now control their cars, along with various internet-connected features. Even fewer realize the amount of personal data stored within these electronic keys.
Recently, I visited Europe’s leading private forensic laboratory in Mayen, Germany, run by Manfred Goth, a certified police forensic expert. His lab works with major European insurance companies, conducting forensic analysis in criminal and civil cases involving locks, safes, cars, and buildings – from arson to auto theft. Last year, their work saved one insurer approximately twenty million Euros in fraudulent claims, including car theft. They also advise police on security system breaches and are part of the Lockmasters Group in Bergheim, Germany, specialists in covert entry tools and locking system vulnerabilities for government agencies.
While I frequently test the security of physical locks, automotive security wasn’t on my radar. I use keyless entry daily but hadn’t deeply considered its vulnerabilities or privacy implications, my focus being on traditional high-security locks. It never occurred to me that my key fob could store vehicle data potentially accessible to insurance companies or law enforcement. My visit to Goth’s lab and Lockmasters changed that perspective entirely.
Manfred was investigating a BMW theft case, a brand known for storing extensive data on its keys. He showed me a decoder from Abrites, a Bulgarian company specializing in electronic decoding and bypass systems for most key fob-equipped vehicles globally. Abrites develops tools for locksmiths and restricted versions for government use. Modern car immobilizers, keys, locks, and central computers are vulnerable to hacking, allowing for vehicle entry, device planting, key cloning, data decoding, and theft. These tools are used by both law enforcement and car thieves alike.
Manfred connected the BMW key fob to the Abrites decoder. Instantly, it displayed significant data: Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), mileage, fuel level, and last drive time. Newer keys even store GPS data.
This data is highly relevant to Key Fob Insurance and car theft claims. Many stolen car insurance claims are filed, and some are fraudulent. In Europe, insurers often require claimants to submit their car keys for examination. Unbeknownst to most, the data within their keys can be used against them in insurance fraud cases or claim denials. For example, if an owner reports their car stolen three days prior and provides their keys as proof they weren’t left in the vehicle, key data can reveal the car’s last drive time and mileage. In one instance, key data showed the car was driven the previous day, exposing a false claim. This is where key fob insurance implications become starkly clear. If inconsistencies are found, your claim could be denied, and you could face legal repercussions.
At Lockmaster headquarters in Bergheim, Germany, I witnessed further key decoding demonstrations and learned how to intercept key fob-car communication to steal vehicles. Watch my interview with Enrico Wendt, Lockmaster’s Operations Manager, to see a BMW key fob being decoded. In a follow-up, Sascha Wendt, Technical Manager, demonstrated the ease of stealing a new Audi.
While key data storage is ostensibly for vehicle maintenance, there’s no doubt that law enforcement and insurers influence automakers, leading to increased data collection in key fobs, similar to smartphones. This data is a double-edged sword. For insurers, it’s a powerful tool against fraud, impacting key fob insurance claims directly. For car owners, it raises privacy concerns and highlights the need to understand how this technology affects their insurance and potential liabilities.
Vehicle keys are just one aspect of ongoing security battles against covert entry specialists, law enforcement, criminals, and hackers. I was shown how high-tech thieves can steal luxury cars using portable Bulgarian-made devices. Furthermore, even “secure” high-end German vehicles can have their key fobs replicated via the infrared port and a laptop, thanks to Polish hackers. Car manufacturers are now addressing wireless entry system flaws, with a Swiss inventor developing an ingenious solution. Stay tuned for more on this evolving landscape of car security and its intersection with key fob insurance and owner responsibility.
