From: Alan Olsen <alano@teleport.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 05:46:42 +0800
To: "Chris Adams" <null@void.com>
Subject: Re: forget photographing license plates!
Message-ID: <2.2.32.19960818194231.00b28600@mail.teleport.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


At 08:46 PM 8/17/96 -0800, Adamsc wrote:
>On 15 Aug 96 01:31:08 -0800, null@void.com wrote:
>
>>"In the 22 Jul 1996 issue of Fortune was an interesting look into the future
>>of automobile electronics, "Soon Your Dashboard Will Do Everything (Except
>>Steer)".  "
>>From the control center, they can "electronically reach into the car" to
>>unlock the doors, or honk the horn and flash its lights."
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>How long do you think it would be before thieves subverted this feature?

It already happens now.

There is a device for determining the code sequence and frequency of
electronic locks that was designed for locksmiths and repair personel.
Thieves have been using it for breaking into vehicles.  The scam usually
happens in large mall parking lots. They just sit in their car and wait for
you to open yours, watching for the lock information displayed.  Once you
are gone, they unlock it and swipe all of your freshly purchaced goodies.

Theives have also been known to use replacement garage door openers to open
up the homes of those too ignorant to change the default codes of their
garage door systems.

Something to be said for low tech in this case...
---
Alan Olsen -- alano@teleport.com -- Contract Web Design & Instruction
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  "We had to destroy the Internet in order to save it." - Sen. Exon
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