Central Garage Paulton Ltd - OBD Portector (theft protection)

A solution against keyless theft in Bath, Bristol and the surrounding areas

What Is Portector/How does it work?

Portector® is an innovative hardware solution which permanently integrates into the vehicle without the need to cut into the wiring and designed specifically to protect a vehicles OBD port.

It works by stopping the information travelling to the OBD port and therefore prevents a thief from accessing it, effectively closing the OBD port whilst Portector® is armed.

Short Description

Vehicle OBD Protector Protects against the most commonly known methods used by the modern day thieves to steal a vehicle The On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) port is the portal to a vehicle's information and generally required to provide access to the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) or ‘brain’ of a vehicle during maintenance and servicing. Most vehicles taken without keys are stolen using devices which plug into the OBD port. These intelligent devices ‘hack’ the brain of the vehicle and are able to bypass the vehicles integrated security protocols. Most of these devices are pre-programmed so that when they plug into a vehicle, the alarm is turned off during the ‘hacking’ process.

Once ‘hacked’ these devices usually then program a new key or trick the vehicle into thinking the key is already present. In many instances this process can take less than 30 seconds before the thief can drive the vehicle away. This device is an innovative hardware solution which permanently integrates into the vehicle without the need to cut into the wiring and designed specifically to protect a vehicle's OBD port. It works by stopping the information traveling to the OBD port and therefore prevents a thief from accessing it, effectively closing the OBD port.
3 year warranty No subscription or ongoing costs

Keyless Theft

This form of crime is often referred to as ‘keyless theft’ or ‘electronic compromise’; whereby thieves do not need the keys to steal the vehicle. Most vehicles taken without keys are stolen using equipment which plugs into the On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) port. This intelligent equipment ‘hacks’ the system and is able to bypass the vehicles integrated security protocols in order to program a new key.

Standard Features Include

Dedicated OBD Port Protection
Thatcham Quality Assured (Certificate Number TQA511)
2x OBD Port Authorisation Cards
No hard wiring/cutting in required during installation
Registration on The ISR®
36 month warranty
No subscription or ongoing costs

Delayed theft of the vehicle

A recent survey suggested 4 out of 10 people don’t think twice about handing over their car keys to a stranger at a car wash, valet or airport parking, a hotel or restaurant and on many other occasions. Organised criminal gangs have exploited this and are placing people into these job roles to get access to your vehicle. It can take them less than 10 seconds to program a key using their own equipment.

Personal details such as your address are copied from paperwork and often if this information is not available, tracking devices can be placed in the vehicle or you might be followed until they get the information they need. Once they have a key and a location, it takes just seconds to steal the vehicle at a time of their choosing. There is also little suspicion with type of theft as it is just someone walking up to a vehicle, with a key, getting in and driving away.

Immediate theft of the vehicle

This type of theft is slightly higher risk for the thief, but made easy with the equipment they use. Most of this equipment is pre-programmed so that when it plugs into a vehicle, the alarm is turned off during the ‘hacking’ process. It is then used to program a new key or trick the vehicle into thinking the key is already present. In many instances this complete process, including gaining entry can take less than 20 seconds before the thief can drive the vehicle away.

The equipment to carry out this type of theft is not illegal to buy, own or sell and widely available across the internet. Many of the websites selling this will include tutorials and videos showing the effectiveness of their systems. A recent internet search on a well-known trading site showed a worrying 13,000 suppliers of equipment that could be used to steal a vehicle.

Permanent protection against unauthorised communication to the OBD port

Once installed the system is permanently armed and is provided with two short range transponder OBD port authorisation cards, that are registered to the owner. When authorised access is required to the vehicle’s diagnostic system, for example the vehicle is going in for servicing, just present the technician with a card.