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Hi-tech security a myth?

Keys and locks have been with us for a very long time.

The concept of locking your stuff up so that nobody can take it without your knowledge or permission is an essential part of modern life and, some would say, a sad indictment on the human animal.

For centuries we have relied on bits of steel or iron, beaten into shape and carefully honed to precisely activate the internals of some type of lock. The lock itself is usually made from some very strong metal that resists tampering, cutting and smashing.

Of course, as we all know, for as long as there have been locks, there have been those who know how to sidestep them and, by use of things such as lock-picks, bump-keys or whatever, can still gain access to all your valuables.

One of the most valuable possessions most people own is their car - and locks have been used to protect our vehicles from theft since way-back.

Until a few years ago, most cars had door locks and a steering-column lock. The former stopped nefarious types from gaining access to the inside of your vehicle, the latter stopped them from driving it away. Well that was the theory.

Unfortunately, most of these old door locks could be circumvented with a stout screwdriver that simply wrenched them from the thin steel door and the steering-column lock was easily disabled if you had the right tool.

So auto-makers decided to go hi-tech, fitting sophisticated "rolling code" wireless access systems that no longer relied on carefully sculpted bits of metal to control access.

Today's hi-tech systems use miniature radio data transmitters and microcontrollers to exchange complex series of bits that, so we're told, are almost impossible to crack.

Even the need for a steering lock is significantly reduced by this hi-techery, since the access control system is highly integrated into the engine control computer -- such that if you don't have the right electronic key, you'll never get the car started anyway.

Although there were some early failures -- most notably the ones where car thieves were able to simply stand around and record the transmissions of these radio-based key systems then play them back later to gain access -- the new electronic era has thwarted many of the casual car thieves of yester-year.

But now it appears as if even the new, more sophisticated systems have been hacked.

The illusion of invulnerability that hi-tech promises us has (once again) been shattered.

So far it doesn't appear that the device used by these thieves has allowed them to drive away in a stolen vehicle -- or perhaps they're only interested in the contents of the cars they're unlocking but clearly the potential exists.

It's interesting that, despite the incredible power of modern technology, chances are that more people are being robbed of their money and valuables every day in the 21st century than was ever the case when we used "old tech" security.

Credit and EFTPOS cards are covertly cloned with regular monotony. People's bank accounts are hacked after phishing exploits or the use of trojans on their computers. And now, so it would seem, even their fancy new cars or their contents are vulnerable to casual theft.

What's more, back in the old days, you'd probably notice if someone (be they a government security agency or someone else) had opened your mail to read its contents -- but, as we know, many Kiwis have their emails scanned and "inspected" by all manner of "war against terror" systems before they reach your inbox.

Personally, I wouldn't go back to the "old days" if you paid me -- but sometimes it's interesting to reflect that, for all the positives associated with modern technology, there are still some downsides.

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