“There is not really any way to protect yourself”: this tool can unlock nearly 200 car models

Just take a quick tour on YouTube to understand the craze around the pinballe Zero. However, Since its release in 2020. However, the tool originally designed for cybersecurity specialists, ethical hackers and electronics enthusiasts have continued to see its capacities pushed as much as possible.

This small multifunction portable device has an open source firmware that allows you to test. Moreover, explore and interact with many everyday electronic systems. “there not really any way Similarly, There is no shortage of video examples. Moreover, and everyone has fun showing what they can do with the small orange and white box: turn off a television, duplicate the signal of a hotel chamber card, etc.

All these technical prowess is allowed by the integration of custom firmware which are the pride of hack influencers. widen the capacities of the Flipper Zero.

Daniel. Derrow are among these developers, and testified to 404 media, in an article published on August 21, 2025, of a more disturbing phenomenon: sales figures for firmware allowing to unlock cars explode. Far from the passion for hacking. for many buyers, the Flipper Zero becomes a great tool for stealing all types of models.

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Some vulnerable vehicles are 2025 models – "there not really any way

"there not really any way

Daniel and Derrow are rather well placed to talk about it, they sell patches themselves to unlock cars. Count $ 600 for the basic version, $ 1,000 for a version with updates and support, everything is payable in cryptocurrency.

On many YouTube videos (now offline), Daniel demonstrates the efficiency of his firmware. Kia, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Ford, Peugeot, Citroën: none of these brands withstand the Dopé Flipper.

The man, based in Russia, claims to have sold his technology to “there not really any way more than 150 people in two years. The finality seems to be important to him.

If according to him. it is possible that ” Some use it to fly in cars or steal carsThe demand would also come from locksmiths or garage owners.

To set up such tools. Daniel claims to have gathered various code fragments, which he then adapted to operate on Flipper Zero. His friend Derrow specifies that some brands like Kia are devoid of protections, which makes them particularly simple to open. For other manufacturers, it is initially necessary to obtain the source code to then access vehicles.

A list communicated by Daniel to 404 Media lists nearly 200 vulnerable models, including recent versions of 2025.

A phenomenon that evolves according to technologies

If the relatively high cost of these firmware still slows down its expansion, its growing diffusion raises fears that the software is quickly found in free and free access.

Discord servers already bring “there not really any way together hundreds of members where new arrivals sometimes find themselves stolen via false download links.

This is not the first piracy threat that weighs on electronic cars keys. Mouse-jacking, allows in particular by a signal relay, to unlock a car if the real keys are at reasonable distance. To guard against it, some manufacturers have set up turning codes. An ineffective modification on the Flipper Zero, capable of intercepting the code and calculating the next.

A computer engineer contacted by 404 Media seems a bit of a defeatist: “There is not really any way to protect yourself. except not to use your electronic keychain. »»

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