Hackers discover security flaw with Teslas and McLarens

University of Leuven students have uncovered a security flaw that affects both Tesla and McLaren vehicles that enable the cars to be stolen without a key in a matter of seconds.

The researchers working at the Belgian uni's Computer Security and Industrial Cryptography research group (COSIC) posted a video on Youtube to show how cars that use a keyless go system developed by British software company Pektron are vulnerable to attack.

The hack works by using special equipment that's capable of cloning the McLaren or Tesla's key, fooling the car into thinking the owner has returned.

Making the Pektron system particularly susceptible is the suggestion hackers don't need to be close to the car and key fob at the same time.

Responding to the flaw, Tesla has released a software update that asks for a pin before enabling drive while McLaren says its customers will be sent a signal-blocking pouch that's claimed to prevent long range cloning of the key.