Queensland Police have intercepted a Flipper Zero device, a tool utilized by hackers globally to clone car key fob data and gain access to vehicles and garage doors. This seizure has prompted a cautionary message from law enforcement urging Australians to take precautions to safeguard their vehicles.
According to reports from the Brisbane Times, officers from the Boondall station in Brisbane’s north recently confiscated a Flipper Zero device, which has gained notoriety overseas for its role in car thefts, particularly in the US and the UK.
The Flipper Zero is equipped with capabilities to read, copy, and reproduce signals from RFID and NFC tags, including frequencies emitted by specific car key fobs and garage door openers. Initially designed as a scanning tool to uncover security vulnerabilities in technology developed by major corporations, it has been misused by hackers to facilitate car thefts without the need for physical access to keys.
While Canada has already prohibited the importation and sale of Flipper Zero and similar wireless scanning devices for illegal activities, Australia has yet to witness confirmed cases of vehicle theft using this tool. Nonetheless, Acting Superintendent Rob Fleischer from Queensland Police’s community safety group emphasized the importance of car owners being vigilant, especially regarding the storage of their keys at night.
Acting Superintendent Fleischer advised car owners to take precautions such as storing their keys in a tin or Faraday case to prevent unauthorized access. He also warned that possession of such devices would lead to thorough questioning by authorities regarding their purpose and usage.
Recent research indicates a concerning trend, with nearly one in ten Australians reporting car break-ins within the last year. This data coincides with statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showing a rise in vehicle theft and burglary post-pandemic, highlighting the need for increased vigilance and security measures among car owners.