TikTok Trend Helps Thieves Hack Kia, Hyundai Models

According to Bloomberg, Videos about the so-called Kia Challenge show mostly teenagers giving instructions on how to unlock certain models of Kia and Hyundai cars. By inserting a USB cable into a broken steering column, TikTok videos show, thieves can hotwire an engine – much like the way that screwdrivers typically come in handy for the same reason. The thefts are possible because some makes of Kia and Hyundai vehicles don’t include anti-theft computer chips in their key systems. The trend is shaping up to be a watershed moment in automotive security.

Jake Moore, ESET’s security specialist commented:

Internet and social media are influencing both the physical and online security of today’s cars. While in the past, obscure skills and knowledge were needed to break into and start a car, today, thieves and anyone else can easily find all that info online and sometimes even on social media…