Czn smart key be hacked?

Sure, anything can be hacked, but it's a question of potential payoff for your work...

I mean, as much as we love our Priuses, they're not classed as luxury vehicles, and thieves just aren't interested in hybrids right now because they have basically no parts-resale value, and hardly anyone buy Toyota can work on them anyway.

I suppose they could steal them to try and sell to someone else, but seems like a lot of work for low-reward.

Ah well... I saw a report on the Prius's FOB system a while ago, but I didn't bookmark the page and I can't find it now ...

Dave

 

RFID is not related to keyless entry. It allows very short-range radio frequency communications between an energized host (keyslot) and an unenergized silicon "key" (fob). In a conventional car, you insert the key, turn to start, and the car interrogates a chip held in the base of the key. In the Prius, you insert the fob into the slot, and the car interrogates the RFID side of the fob.

All Prius use RFID. SKS-equipped Prius have, in addition to RFID, an active wireless authentication system that does not use the Texas Instruments chipset.

Despite several search efforts, I have yet to find any documentation on the authentication protocol or cryptography method of this system. Knowing Toyota, it's probably a might bit better than the RFID algorithm, with was lousy when it came out. (But good for an unpowered device - many constraints on that kind of a design.)

Bottom line is SKS is not RFID. EVERY authentication system is vulnerable and breakable; it's just a matter of time and effort. SKS is probably more secure than RFID, and is certainly more obscure.

Both RFID and SKS are orders of magnitude more secure than biometric authentication, and both make the vehicle more difficult for a theif to steal.

Don't worry about it.

 

Prius security (including what the John Hopkins guys have pulled off) has been discussed extensively on PriusChat.

A good starting point is here.

 

SmartKey/RFIS downside

Hi folks, I am new to this, so bear with me. Is there any known downside to the Prius Smart Key System or the RFID Key system. One that occurs to me is that my Dealer tells me if I lose the SKS key, the replacement cost is $150. A steep charge for a lost key.

I read the thread about hacking/security, so I am ok with that.

Is the SKS active? Dealer says there is no battery, it gets all its energy from the car. Is that true? If not true, how long does the battery last?

Does the car (or the key) constantly emit radio frequency radiation in order to detect the presence of the other? If not, how does one recognize the other is in the vicinity? Is the radiation 13.5mHZ as with the TI chip set? Are their any known health hazards if there is a constant emission of radiation?

 

Wow, lots of questions.

Replacement SKS fob retails for much more than $150, the no-sks is about $150 through some channels. You have to have a new one programmed into the car. Be sure not to lose all the registered fobs, otherwise the immobilizer ECU has to be replaced and that is VERY expensive.

If you have a button below your steering wheel near the floor, you have SKS. This button turns it on and off. If your fob has a silver emblem, it is SKS ready so if it came with the car, your car came wtih SKS.

The car does poll for the SKS when the doors are locked. The polling interval can be adjusted by the dealer if desired. After something like 14 days, the car will back off in the poll to a much slower rate.
I don't know the frequency the SKS oscillators in/on the car uses, nor the one the fob uses. Emissions are of so low energy to be non-issue, no more than any other car's fob. It isn't like a cell phone trying to reach a cell site a mile away, you are only talking about feet.