22 Tips To Protect Your Home Security From Smart Home Vulnerabilities

During work hours, you can check your phone to see how the baby at home is doing.

While lounging on the couch, just say a line from “Story of Yanxi Palace” and the TV plays automatically.

At night, the smart alarm system guards you like a 24-hour boyfriend.

This kind of day is quite ordinary. But it hides many security risks.

▲Image Source: 699pic.com

Are Smart Homes Really Foolproof?

In many cases we’ve visited, many tech-savvy cooks have embraced the smart home lifestyle.

Classmate Zhang and Classmate Qian have their entire home controlled by Xiaomi.

For example, the entrance is equipped with a Xiaomi motion sensor that turns on the lights automatically when someone passes by.

Want to see just how smart Classmate Zhang’s home is? Click here. A 58㎡ Nordic-style smart tech home, even the IKEA cabinets look custom-made!

▲ Image Source: Zhufaner Self-Photography

Some have tested that to achieve full smart home capability, at least 18 brands and 110 devices are needed.

110 devices? Such a complex yet desirable scenario always leaves me with lingering worries.

Will there really be no problems?

▲ Modern families seem unable to live without smart homes, Image Source: jnamkj.com

Last year, Wikipedia released a document indicating that the CIA developed a malicious eavesdropping tool called “Weeping Angel”. This software caused Samsung smart TVs to record conversations after supposedly being turned off.

Whether the CIA is really eavesdropping on users like in sci-fi movies remains unknown.

But how far are we really from such top-level hacking techniques?

▲ Mark Zuckerberg’s computer camera is covered with tape to prevent spying, Image Source: Wenxuecity.com

Smart Locks

Smart locks include password locks, fingerprint locks, card locks, etc.

Compared to mechanical locks, smart locks have many advantages in security.

For instance, an alarm can be triggered if someone tries to pry open the lock.Moreover, if forced to unlock, you can use the alarm mode to silently unlock while automatically alerting authorities.

If the smart lock malfunctions, it’s not a big deal; according to the Ministry of Public Security’s GA 701-2007 “General Technical Conditions for Fingerprint Anti-theft Locks”, smart locks must additionally include a factory-specific unlocking device or mechanical lock to prevent issues with the smart lock.

▲ Image Source: Leiphone.com

At the Defcon (Hacker Conference) two years ago, two hackers cracked 12 out of 16 smart locks, with only Noke and Masterlock remaining unbroken.

However, in real life, cases of smart locks being easily cracked are not common.

The previously circulated black box was more targeted at uninitialized passwords or substandard smart locks.

▲ The rumored black box for unlocking, Image Source:Pear video.com

So how to choose a qualified smart lock is crucial.

1. Smart fingerprint locks are divided into optical and semiconductor fingerprint types. Setting aside other factors, let’s talk about safety.

The principle of optical fingerprint collection is to place a finger on a prism, refracting it to a convex lens (CCD), thus forming an image on the screen. Therefore, if someone obtains the fingerprint, it’s easy to deceive the smart lock.

Semiconductor fingerprint readers can penetrate the outer layer of the skin to recognize live fingerprints, making them difficult to replicate.

▲ Principle of optical fingerprint collection, Image Source: zhinengsuobaike.com

▲ Semiconductor fingerprint collection principle, Image Source: zhinengsuobaike.com

2. If it’s a smart lock from an American brand, look for ANSI (American National Standards Institute) certification, which is divided into three levels, with the highest being the first level.

3. Smart locks range from hundreds to thousands; they are complex in materials and structure, it’s recommended to buy smart locks from reputable brands at an average price.

4. Be cautious with remote unlocking via mobile phones, as data transmission can easily leak, especially since smart devices are interconnected; if one device is hacked, remote unlocking may also encounter issues.

If you’re still curious and want to know more about smart locks, click here~ A family was locked out for three days because they forgot their keys, celebrating New Year’s Eve in the hallway.

Smart Speakers

There are numerous smart speakers on the market, domestically including Xiaomi’s Xiao Ai and Tmall Genie, while internationally there are Amazon’s Echo and Google Home.

In addition to the basic music playback function, you can ask smart speakers for weather forecasts, train ticket information, and more. They can even control lights, purifiers, air conditioners, and so on.

▲ Image Source: mi.com

The principle of smart speakers is simple. They activate upon hearing a trigger word and proceed with cloud processing.

However, during the continuous listening for trigger words, the device may remotely store audio snippets, which could end up on a server.

Some malicious software and hackers can exploit vulnerabilities to transfer smart speaker data to third-party software, exposing sensitive information such as account credentials and passwords.

▲ The Amazon Echo, considered the safest, was hacked by a Tencent team at a hacker conference, Image Source: Sohu.com

To avoid such situations, you can try the following methods:

1.Upgrade your password. Use various special characters, uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, etc.

2. Regularly delete voice recordings. However, note that deleting voice recordings may affect personalized recommendations.

3. Increase privacy settings. This includes purchasing password protection and sound notifications.

Smart Cameras

Smart cameras satisfy modern people’s endless desire for control, allowing you to see your pet causing trouble at home (of course, you still can’t do anything about it, shrug).

But what if not only you can see your pet, but others can also watch your pet online?

Even more unsettling is if all your actions at home are being live-streamed online?

▲ Image Source: weibo.com

In 2017, the National Quality Inspection Administration sampled 40 batches from 38 brands of smart cameras for monitoring, and found that 32 batches had security vulnerabilities.

Some allowed viewing any user’s camera video, while others permitted access to or download of user registration information stored in backend systems.

▲ CCTV previously reported issues of cameras being hacked and privacy leaks, Image Source: twoeggz.com

Moreover, the sale of home camera footage has now become industrialized.

It’s terrifying to even think about, making one break into a cold sweat; let’s see what to do about it.

1. Promise me, you must set a complicated password and change it regularly, okay? Not just login passwords but even the WIFI password.

2. Do not point the camera at private spaces in your home, such as bathrooms or bedrooms.

3. Before leaving, check the direction of the camera. When returning home, ensure it hasn’t been moved.

4. While major brands’ cameras may not be 100% foolproof, they significantly reduce risks.

5. Develop a habit of regularly running antivirus software.

Smart Security Alarm Systems

What does it feel like to lose everything overnight? You say you have no cash? Friends, do thieves not upgrade too? They now use POS machines to transfer money on-site.

Smart security alarm systems are not limited to theft prevention; they can also prevent fires, gas leaks, and alert when necessary.

These functions are primarily achieved by installing sensors in different parts of the home. If any anomaly occurs, the sensor sends a signal to the main unit, which activates the alarm device upon receiving the signal.

The principles of each detector vary.

A broken window triggers a sound-activated detector due to the sound of shattering glass.

If a thief enters the living room, the infrared detector senses an unusual temperature difference (assuming a human body is 35 degrees and the living room is 30 degrees) and will be triggered.

▲ Image Source: Smarthome.ofweek.com

Each type of detector has its limitations; for example, infrared detectors have poor penetration, creating blind spots in monitored areas with obstacles.

Having spent so much money, how can we avoid alarm malfunctions?

Door and window magnets are the most common; the principle is that magnets and reed switches are installed on the door frame and door leaf, and when they move apart beyond a certain distance, an alarm is triggered.

1. Regular cleaning reduces the chances of dust causing malfunctions.

2. Do not install in damp areas, as daily moisture control is also important.

3. Ordinary door magnets should not be installed on non-metal doors like wooden or glass doors.

▲ Xiaomi door and window magnets, Image Source: mi.com

Human sensors are essentially pyroelectric infrared sensors. Xiaomi’s human sensor uses this technology.

Simply put, the principle of pyroelectric infrared sensors is to sense the temperature difference between the human body and the environment, thus triggering an alarm.

▲ Xiaomi human sensor, Image Source: mi.com

1. According to national standard GB10408.5-2000, when the background temperature changes from 25 degrees to 40 degrees at a rate of 1 degree per minute, the detector should not enter an alarm state.

Placing the detector near an air conditioner or heater, where temperature changes are significant, can easily cause false alarms.

2. According to national standard GB10408.5-2000, the detector should not alarm when illuminated with light equivalent to a car headlight passing through glass.

Some lower-quality detectors may be overly sensitive to sunlight or incandescent light.

3. Install the detector at the height recommended by the manufacturer to prevent small animals from triggering false alarms at night.

4. The sensitivity of pyroelectric infrared sensors is significantly influenced by the direction of human movement.

Moving perpendicular to the radius is most sensitive, while radial movement is least sensitive. Thus, when installing, consider the path from the window or entrance to the bedroom.

▲ Image Source: xie-gang.com

Smart Peepholes

When watching “Ode to Joy”, did anyone notice that Andy’s home uses a smart peephole?

Traditional peepholes have limited views and often cannot see clearly at night.

Even scarier, there are reverse peepholes on the market. Thieves can see inside from outside, violently disassembling the peephole to gain entry.

Electronic peepholes come with wide-angle monitoring lenses, infrared night vision, and human detection alarms.

When someone intends to break in, the human detector sends videos or photos to the homeowner’s app.

▲ Image Source: m.Cyzone.cn

However, some low-end electronic peepholes not only produce blurry images but also cannot connect to the internet, sending photos only via SMS, which significantly reduces the security of electronic peepholes.

How to avoid choosing an electronic peephole with poor security performance?

1. Choose high-resolution cameras with high screen resolution. Ensure image clarity.

Now, some manufacturers can achieve 3 million pixels in cameras; those with 300,000 pixels should be avoided.

2. Now, major brands’ human detection mainly revolves around passive infrared detectors.

However, passive infrared detectors can lead to false alarms due to temperature changes.

Thus, it’s recommended to choose products that can adjust the sensitivity of the detector based on temperature. For instance, during summer, when the temperature difference between humans and the environment is small, the sensitivity can be increased.

3. Some electronic peepholes have poor signals and disconnect often. Currently, many domestic products operate on 2.4GHz, while some foreign brands can operate on both 2.4GHz and 5G.

Additionally, the distance between the router and the peephole should not exceed 10 meters to ensure signal stability.

▲ Image Source: Geekpark.com

Having said all this, it’s not to stop anyone from buying smart products.

In fact, some smart products are far more secure than traditional ones. I just hope everyone understands the vulnerabilities of smart products and knows how to prevent potential risks.