Home Security Systems Can Be Used to Spy on You

Home Security Systems Can Be Used to Spy on You

  • By Matt Holden
  • Jul 24, 2014

Home Security Systems Can Be Used to Spy on YouYour home security system isn’t as secure as you might think, and it could also be used to spy on you according to some experts in a recent article. Logan Lamb, a cybersecurity researcher at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, pointed out flaws in home systems like ADT.

The weakness in motion sensors comes from their legacy wireless communications, which are the same communications used in the 90s. Lamb could pick up signals being sent from sensors on windows and doors to the main control system and track when people were opening and closing windows and doors. With more sophisticated equipment, he could interfere with transmissions, setting of alarms by falsely telling them doors were opening when they weren’t. He could do this from 65 to 250 yards away, meaning a criminal intending to enter the house could do this to someone’s home before ever stepping foot inside of it.

Furthermore, researchers Colby Moore and Patrick Wardle from Synack have hacked Dropcam devices, which have recently been acquired by Google-owned Nest. They found that a small button on the back of the camera would allow someone to install spyware and thus surveys the audio and video of the owners. It would also allow someone to install a program that could make the owners see video of the attacker’s choosing.

Dropcam’s CEO, Greg Duffy, said that this sort of hacking is only possible if someone gains physical access to the device. His concern is remote access and hacking, something he said that Dropcam is excellent in deterring.

Lamb’s goal in all of this is to make better, safer security systems.

“The idea of covering a home with more security sensors does not translate into a more secure home,” Lamb said.

About the Author

Matt Holden is an Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media, Inc. He received his MFA and BA in journalism from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. He currently writes and edits for Occupational Health & Safety magazine, and Security Today.

Featured

  • Choosing the Right Solution

    Today, there is a strong shift from on-prem installations to cloud or hybrid-cloud deployments. As reported in the 2024 Genetec State of Physical Security report, 66% of end users said they will move to managing or storing more physical security in the cloud over the next two years. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Security Risks for U.S. Retail Chains

    Interface Systems, a provider of security, actionable insights, and purpose-built networks for multi-location businesses, has released its 2024 State of Remote Video Monitoring in Retail Chains report. The detailed study analyzed over 2 million monitoring requests across 4,156 retail locations in the United States from September 2023 to August 2024. Read Now

  • Gaining a Competitive Edge

    Ask most companies about their future technology plans and the answers will most likely include AI. Then ask how they plan to deploy it, and that is where the responses may start to vary. Every company has unique surveillance requirements that are based on market focus, scale, scope, risk tolerance, geographic area and, of course, budget. Those factors all play a role in deciding how to configure a surveillance system, and how to effectively implement technologies like AI. Read Now

  • 6 Ways Security Awareness Training Empowers Human Risk Management

    Organizations are realizing that their greatest vulnerability often comes from within – their own people. Human error remains a significant factor in cybersecurity breaches, making it imperative for organizations to address human risk effectively. As a result, security awareness training (SAT) has emerged as a cornerstone in this endeavor because it offers a multifaceted approach to managing human risk. Read Now

Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction. 3

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation. 3

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area. 3