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News items from Europe and the UK
In acts of terrorism, vehicles have been deployed as killing machines. These incidents involved human operators, but another sinister possibility looms: a vehicle cyber hack intended to cause human harm. While this kind of terrorist attack has not yet occurred, in the realm of security research, it’s been demonstrated how hackers could gain control over car systems like the brakes, steering and engine. In acts of terrorism, vehicles…
Operation Austrocar was carried out over three days (25-27 September). Experts from INTERPOL’s Stolen Motor Vehicles Task Force were deployed to three key locations to assist Austrian Police in their vehicle checks at border points between Austria and the Czech Republic, Hungary and…
A six-month long joint operation targeting organised crime groups involved in fuel fraud has resulted in the arrests of 25 suspects so far and the seizure of 2.2 million kg of illicit fuel. This illegal trade can cause damage to vehicles’ engines, as the product is not compliant with the relevant European standards. Consequently, it can also be a risk to consumer health and…
With the support of Europol and Eurojust, the French Gendarmerie and Polish Criminal Police have dismantled an organised crime group suspected of having committed at least 36 cargo thefts for a total estimated damage of EUR 1.5 million. 15 properties were searched simultaneously this week in Gorzow (Poland) and Nancy (France), and 3 suspects arrested in each…
A team of researchers at the KU Leuven University in Belgium on Monday plan to present a paper at the Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems conference in Amsterdam, revealing a technique for defeating the encryption used in the wireless key fobs of Tesla's Model S luxury sedans. With about $600 in radio and computing equipment, they can wirelessly read signals from a nearby Tesla owner's fob. Less than two seconds of computation…
Criminals are stealing accident replacement hire cars by using stolen identities obtained on the dark web. The latest case saw fraudsters using stolen identities – offered for sale on the dark web – to report a collision between a Mercedes S-Class and a Range Rover Evoque in South East London. After securing a high value replacement car, the thieves crossed the border and took it to Brussels. The stolen vehicle was recovered after…
UK: A survey of 2,000 people conducted by the price comparison website also reveals how many of us like a plate with a personal touch, and what we think of those who have personal plates. Firstly, the thefts. The data shows that cars with personal plates on them are a whopping 50 percent more likely to be stolen. The logic follows that a car with an expensive personal plate on it can look like a double score to a passing thief. Other…
Systems in newer cars do a great job keeping you and your employees connected while on the road. But like laptops and smartphones, your company cars may be storing more information than you realize – data that could be accessible to the next person in the driver seat. That could include contact lists and other data downloaded when you synced your phone, log-ins for apps, location data, and even garage entry codes for your office or…
WEST Midlands Police has launched a new campaign to clamp down on “chop shops” who sell vehicle write-offs that have been patched up using stolen parts. The constabulary has seen a rising trend in bodging cars in this way, with theft rates have risen “significantly” over the last few years, it says. Write-off cars are understood to be bought at salvage auctions, given unsafe repairs and then put up for sale on websites…
With 1,245 cars checked across the four-day operation last month, information gathered during the initiative is being analyzed to identify potential links with other criminal activities. The operation was carried out immediately before the opening of the Football World Cup in Russia so as to determine links to the transnational organized crime activities often associated with major international sporting…