Tuesday 17 September 2013
Why Traditional Home Security Scores Over Home Automation
The Ultimate in Convenience
Home automation seems amazing, because it takes convenience to levels many never thought possible. Imagine how easy your life would be if you could control your home's lighting, heating and air conditioning with the swipe of a finger! And that's not all—you can also integrate your TV, home cinema, stove, and fridge into the network.
It’s all part of the ever-closer "internet of things," and the advantages for the busy (as well as the lazy!) are obvious. Whether you’re on your way home from a long day at work, or just don't want to get out of the tub, you can simply switch your heating and your oven remotely and be greeted by a warm house and a hot meal as soon as you step through the door or onto the bath mat.
Security Bonuses
Full home automation also offers some tempting security features too, particularly when you’re on vacation or otherwise out of the home. There are plenty of resources advising you how to boost your home security while you’re away, and many will suggest investing in a timer switch that turns lights on and off at appropriate intervals during the day, to make it appear that someone is home.
Automation platforms allow you to do this remotely so that you can be certain that the actions are carried out, and there are other useful features too. You can set your alarms and operate security cameras from outside the home. On the surface, it seems like a perfect solution to those who can’t relax and enjoy their breaks because of the worry over home break ins.
However, with full automation comes an unforeseen danger—that criminals could hack their way into your system.
Notorious Hacks
There are many stories of notable hacks, but one of the most interesting appeared in Forbes Magazine in July 2013. Here, the author explains exactly how she was able to hack a selection of systems and why they are so vulnerable.
Essentially, automated homes are operated via a smartphone app or via the web, which means their systems show up in certain search engines. That made them crawlable (and of course hackable) by those competent and patient enough to do so.
A recent study by SpiderLabs also went into greater technical detail when explaining the ways in which these systems are vulnerable,and their results should prompt concern for individual owners.
“It’s a pretty bad scene,” said Daniel Crowley, a Managing Consultant for SpiderLabs. “We looked over somewhere in the range of 10 products and only found one or two that we couldn’t manage to break. Most didn’t have any security controls at all.”
Now it may be funny to think about pranking someone by turning on their hot tub or flushing their toilet—but the security implications for those homeowners are severe. If it’s easy to turn your light switch on and off, then it will be equally simple to open your garage door. Once that's taken care of, burglars don't need an app to empty out your house.
The home itself is also vulnerable, and a hacker can also gain access to sensitive information such as IP addresses and even a family name. In most cases, it didn’t take the Forbes author long to connect an internet presence to an address in the physical world.
Keeping it simple
When it comes to home security, having a traditional device—such as those supplied by Simplisafe—is an effective way of protecting your home without leaving yourself open to internet hacking. As we’ve seen with home automation, the theory paints a futuristic, even idyllic picture—but as Forbes and Spiderlabs have uncovered, this future isn't quite so bright if it's hackable.
So before you invest in one of these early systems, ask yourself—do you really need to remotely set the oven or should you just buy one of the many appliances that can be set to turn on through their own timer? Do you absolutely have to set your heating to come on while you’re sitting on the subway waiting to arrive home? After all, central heating has been supplied with timers for decades and few, if any, have frozen to death as a result.
Finally, would you rather have an alarm system that's flashy, but still full of holes—or will a simple, proven, effective home security system do just fine?
Had any troubles or fears in the new age of automation? Share in the comments!
This post is written by Kevin Raposo, a blogger for SimpliSafe Security Systems. Kevin typically covers issues related to tech, home security, and crime. When he’s not keeping up with the latest trends, he’s usually contributing to Reddit or playing music.
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