I have always told customers that alarm systems only work after the bad guy (or gal) is inside. It is better to do everything possible to keep them on the outside for as long as possible! This includes installing great locks and lighting, trimming back bushes and trees and not leaving ladders or outside furniture available to help them climb up to a window or balcony.
Now new research reported in the article How Thieves Can Hack and Disable Your Home Alarm System is showing that many wireless home alarms can be hacked into.
Hacking tools can block the signal inside the house that goes from the contacts (doors, windows, etc.) and the alarm panel so no alarm signal is sent out of the house. This can be done from as far away as 250 feet. Also, hacking tools can cause multiple false alarms. The homeowner, who thinks the alarm is malfunctioning, will turn it off. Some alarm systems even allowed the hackers to see the homeowner’s password.
Keeping your family and belongings safe involves several layers of security. An alarm is only one layer. And now information is on the internet to defeat many of the usual products we have relied on for security. Planning and choosing the right products will make it take longer to get inside a home. The longer it takes, the more likely a thief will move to an easier target.