Recon 2022

Project TEMPA - Demystifying Tesla's Bluetooth Passive Entry system
06-04, 10:00–11:00 (US/Eastern), Grand Salon

The security of Tesla's cars has been a hot topic in recent months. In addition to being one of the safest cars on the road, it is also well-protected from hacks and attacks. But how does Tesla make sure their vehicles are safe and secure?


Tesla is a company that has been innovating in the automobile industry for many years. They have been designing and manufacturing electric vehicles which are environmentally friendly and sustainable. Tesla has also been pioneering and implementing new technologies in the automotive industry. One of these innovations is their Bluetooth interface which is used for locking and unlocking vehicles and can be used to uniquely identify cars, as well as to track them in real-time with apps like "Tesla Radar".
The introduction of Tesla's Bluetooth passive entry system, previously only used by model 3 and model y, into new product lines like the Tesla 2021 Model S/X facelift variant, shows the strategic importance of this technology for Tesla in the years to come.
This case study sheds light on the inner workings of Tesla's Passive Entry System and core VCSEC protocol, and reveals possible attack vectors.

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Martin is an independent security researcher focusing - but not exclusively - on various aspects of product security related to Bluetooth wireless technology. As one of the co-founders of the trifinite.group, Martin worked with the Bluetooth SIG, helping the technology and its adopters overcome early design and implementation issues. Martin holds a master's degree in telecommunications engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Salzburg. During the last year, he spent his free time to investigate security issues with Tesla vehicles. As part of his fascination with rapid developments in IT technology, Martin has been a regular participant and speaker at the Chaos Communication Congress (CCC) and other international IT security conferences since 1997.