sim card slot on C5 2017 with SMEG+IV2

[mcirsta]

Hi guys.

Does anyone know where the SIM card slot is on a 2017 C5 with SMEG+IV2 ? Is the telematics unit built into the SMEG+IV2 or is it separate and located somewhere else ?

[GiveMeABreak]

There is no SIM card for this system - it uses Bluetooth to connect to your smartphone for the telephone function. Only systems with the services module fitted had a separate SIM card for the internal telephone (like the NG4 Navidrive 3D that has both Bluetooth and internal phone you could switch between which was also used for Emergency SOS services and Citroen breakdown / Assist services.

On the last factory run of the X7s I think the Connecting Box and SOS Assistance pack may of been options.

Later systems with Connected NAV may have an independent telematic unit, for which you do not need a SIM card - it is built into the system.

[mcirsta]

Thanks for the quick answer. I'm sure there's a SIM in there somewhere because I was able to call Citroen Assist. I'm really curious where this module is, if it's not part of SMEG+IV2 even better because I'm thinking of disabling it.
It's the exclusive version so it could be an option added. I've bought the car second hand so not really sure what it was bought with.

[GiveMeABreak]

Why on earth would you want to disable it?

If you have this system, then it is also used by the airbag ECU for geolocation in the event of a serious accident where the airbags are triggered to alert the emergency services as to where you are. It seems silly to disable this safety aid if it could save your life or the lives of your passengers....

[mickthemaverick]

Why on earth would you want to disable it?

So that if you run into something solid and set off the airbag you can make a getaway without being found out !!

[mcirsta]

My main problem with it is that it is active when the car is not running and using the battery. As I don't drive the car that often this power drain really matters to me. And yes, I know exactly what it does, I was working as a software engineer on a telematics project.
Unless the accident happens in the middle of nowhere it's highly unlikely it won't get called in. OK, sure maybe it will also be useful if it actually works and someone responds to the incident report. I do see your point however and I'll consider what to do.
It also might be that the car battery or the unit itself becomes damaged in which case it's useless ... Unless it has a backup battery, the one I was working on had one.
Maybe I'll change my focus on hacking it for my own purposes, like monitoring the car remotely and such. I wonder what kind of modem it has, if it's 3G , 4G or such.
Do you guys have a link of this as a spare part ?

[GiveMeABreak]

It doesn't remain active when the car is switched off. There are several systems that remain on the vehicle for several minutes until the BSI shuts down, but of course the RCD circuit remains active as this obviously has to intercept unlocking requests which in turn readies some of the car's systems in readiness for being started.

Can't really help you with any of that, we don't support disabling of safety devices on this Forum.

[mcirsta]

Thanks for all your help , at least now I understand what this is.
They can call it what they want, it's basically just a telematics unit.
As such it will be active all the time and enter some standby mode even when the engine is off. It will thus still use power from the battery.
I see this more of a security risk rather than a sefety device because of how it sends data and location information to Stellantis.

[mickthemaverick]

I see this more of a security risk rather than a sefety device because of how it sends data and location information to Stellantis.

I understand where you are coming from there, definitely a bit Big Brotherish!!

[mcirsta]

I see this more of a security risk rather than a sefety device because of how it sends data and location information to Stellantis.

I understand where you are coming from there, definitely a bit Big Brotherish!!

Usually I'm not this Big Brother type but I've worked on this kind of device and I fully understand the security risk. As long as data is sent to just Stellantis let's say all is fine but these things have been hacked before and I doubt that the security is that high for this unit. I am also not sure it gets any software updates and if it doesn't that's a major security risk. Also I'd like to personally get some data from this unit myself as I'm a person who likes to tinker and is capable of doing it ( at least on the software side ).
I know there's a service for remote telematics from Citroen where you activate this and using this Connected Box they get info and then they call you to offer you some maintenance for the car. This is all nice but I'd like access to that data myself instead of some sales person contacting me and talking to me in layman terms. Just a personal preference, I also like to tinker with my Android phones and such.
It would also be cool to see data from the car remotely like say ... battery charge level and be warned when batter voltage is low, stuff like this.
I would not mess with the airbags, ESP, cruise control and things like this but otherwise it's my car, I paid for it so I want it to do what I wish.

[GiveMeABreak]

I think they have better things to do with their time than spying on you going shopping... and I thought I was paranoid

Anyway, you do what you want with your vehicle, as you say.

[mcirsta]

I think they have better things to do with their time than spying on you going shopping... and I thought I was paranoid

Anyway, you do what you want with your vehicle, as you say.

As I said my main concern is not them spying but some security problem which would lead to others being able to spy and maybe even give some commands to the vehicle. This telematics box is connected to the CAN bus after all.

[Hell Razor5543]

I did see (on a BBC program, possibly Click, a few years ago) that some aftermarket car security systems had (at the manufacturers site) weak security. Once the hackers had got the data they could then locate a vehicle and send it commands. The program did a scenario where the 'hackers' were in a vehicle following a Range Rover and sending it commands, so the hazards came on, the doors unlocked, and so on. If the driver used the aftermarket control to re-lock the vehicle the 'hackers' unlocked it again. If the driver had used the Range Rover key-fob (or the dashboard button) to lock the vehicle the hackers could NOT have unlocked it. The security issues were due to the aftermarket security, and NOT with the factory fitted equipment.

[mcirsta]

Their biggest weakness is that they run common software such as Linux and OpenSSL. These have vulnerabilities that need to get patched. As soon as the box doesn't receive updates it's vulnerable. Then it's only a matter of finding an entry point.
One entry point that was used was a fake cell tower. The box would connect to this fake GSM tower and voila, point of entry. On the one I worked it had Linux with all the processes running as root. One vulnerability in one of the processes and you can become root. After that it's easy peasy to do whatever as it can directly send CAN commands to the rest of the car.
Trust me this is not paranoia, it's the real stuff.