What you should know about hackable home security systems
Millions of us rely on home security systems for protection. But what if those security systems themselves are not so secure when it comes to attacks from hackers? Consumer Reports found that some of them can be disabled in a matter of seconds with a process called “jamming,” potentially putting you and your family at risk.
Jamming is when a burglar or hacker blocks the wireless signal of a door sensor, window sensor or motion sensor in a security system. That allows them to access your home without actually triggering the alarm.
In its latest tests, Consumer Reports found five home security systems susceptible to these types of attacks: Adobe Iota, Cove Home Security, Eufy 5-Piece Home Alarm Kit, Ring Alarm, and SimpliSafe the Essentials. Abode and SimpliSafe can detect jamming and will alert the homeowner that happens, but the alarms won’t trigger. The other systems offer no user alerts.
Consumer Reports shared its findings with all of the security companies. Eufy was the only manufacturer that explicitly said it would fix the jamming risk in a future update. Cove said it “plans to add jam detection to its system next year, but likely as an optional feature.”
Consumer Reports says the good news is that jamming attacks are very rare, and security systems and other low-tech security solutions will often deter burglars.
If you own one of these systems, don’t feel the need to run out and replace it. Both the Ring and SimpliSafe systems perform well in other tests, including motion detection and ease of use and setup. Or consider a Kangaroo Front Door Security Kit, which wasn’t susceptible to CR’s jamming attacks.
If you want to beef up your home security system, consider adding some security cameras to the mix. They can record what’s happening and are not easily
jammed.
No matter which alarm system you have, CR has one simple tip: Don’t use the branded yard signs or decals that came with it, because that could alert a hacker to your specific type of system. Instead, use generic signs and decals.
Files from Consumer Reports
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.