Communications of the ACM
How Hacked Computer Code Allegedly Helped a Biker Gang Steal 150 Jeeps
Credit: iStockPhoto.com
In a cross-border auto heist that resembles a scrapped plot from the "Fast and the Furious" franchise, nine members of a Tijuana-based biker club have been charged with stealing 150 Jeep Wranglers using stolen computer code and key designs, the U.S. Justice Department announced.
Known as the Hooligans, the biker gang allegedly stole the Jeeps in the San Diego area over the past several years. The value of the stolen Jeeps was $4.5 million.
According to the indictment, the Hooligans staked out vehicles days before the thefts to obtain their vehicle identification numbers. With these numbers in hand, the suspects were able to get details to create duplicate car keys, as well as the codes needed to program the keys, linking them to the Jeep Wranglers. The key designs and codes were stored in a proprietary database. But law enforcement officials don't know how the Hooligans were able to access it.
From The Washington Post
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