Smart car keeps thief locked in

It looks like cars with smart functions can be too much for thieves.

The unlucky guy who decided to steal a BMW 550i from a parking garage in the Seattle area found himself locked in the car without any possibility of getting out, Engadget reported. BMW got the car locked remotely after being notified by the police.

True, this particular guy was either very tired or not the sharpest tool in the shed — or possibly both. After all, how many thieves would decide to take a nap inside the car the’ve just stolen — with the motor running?

Cybersecurity vulnerabilities can work in favor of tech-savvy thieves

While in this case the sleepy guy managed to get in because someone had left a key fob inside the car, smarter thieves may operate on a totally different level. For example, they may take advantage of software vulnerabilities to remotely unlock cars.

Last year, security researcher Sami Kamkar was able to do just that. The vulnerability he found allowed him to remotely locate, unlock and start GM cars, according to Engadget. Cars from BMW, Mercedes and Chrysler were also affected, Kamkar said.

Obviously, when security experts discover and publicize such security holes companies are rushing to fix the issues. It’s those vulnerabilities that haven’t been discovered yet that should have us worried.

And having your car stolen is not even the worst part. According to Engaget, the vulnerability that allowed Kamkar to unlock the GM cars also gave him access to the car owner’s information, including email, home address, and the final four digits plus the expiration date of a credit card.