Property owners are becoming more and more concerned about security, especially as technology permeates more and more aspects of our everyday and essential lives. It’s just logical for individuals to start incorporating smart elements and features that would improve how much they could secure their assets and homes once technology has turned into the functioning part of the home.
Many technological advances and advancements have affected locks. Smart locks, which quickly became the industry standard for anyone wishing to add high-tech features to their house, were an attempt by many companies to boost their game. How clever are these locks, though?
Definiton of a Smart Lock
A smart lock is a digitally controlled lock that may be remotely or locally locked and unlocked using a wireless device or keypad. Many smart locks could be managed with a smartphone app, a special electronic key fob, or just a standard keypad with a code or biometric access.
Numerous smart locks may also be operated using speech recognition and smart home assistants like Alexa or Google Home,. Wireless communication technologies like WiFi, Bluetooth, Z-wave, or Zigbee are used to connect smart locks to gadgets like smartphones or key fobs.
Can You Hack Smart Locks?
People frequently overlook the fact that a smart lock is a miniature computer that may be hacked, as with most smart gadgets. Hackers may gain access to the data on the phone and gain entry, or if the lock is Bluetooth-enabled, they may gain access to the lock directly.
Each internet-connected technology has the potential to be compromised. Some smart locks are superior to others in terms of security. The best defense against hackers is provided by smart locks that use conventional locking mechanisms that can only be manually opened with a key.
How Can You Hack Your Smart Lock?
We examine the manner burglars or hackers might be able to break into your smart locks to help with this question. By doing so, you’ll be able to comprehend how simple it is to use a smart lock to secure your house. This is how:
1. Password theft/ HIjacking
Password hijacking is the easiest approach to gain access to a smart lock. It usually occurs when your smartphone has been stolen by a thief or hacker. They can jailbreak into your cloud files after they get control of your smartphone. Your smartphone may occasionally include files related to your passcode, fingerprint, or voice recognition audio if you’ve connected it with your smart lock.
2. Bluetooth Sniffing
As many smart locks use Bluetooth as their primary communication channel, it’s crucial to understand how hackers can eavesdrop on this connection. They could be able to do this by utilizing any of a wide range of Bluetooth hacking tools, from very basic tools to more sophisticated equipment that is especially made for this purpose.
However, Bluetooth is a short-range communication standard, so even though this is conceivable. Hence, in order to attempt to hack your smart lock, a person would need to be nearby the lock.
3. Wi-Fi Security Breach
Wi-Fi is a typical method for hackers to gain access to your smart lock.
Some weaknesses in the Wi-Fi connection your smart lock utilizes may be exploited by hackers. However, any threat actors would have to be nearby to your home’s network, exactly like with Bluetooth.
4. An outdated companion app or firmware
Each smart lock has a corresponding smartphone app that is used to operate it. Although this software is meant to always be updated with the most recent firmware, it occasionally isn’t.
Because some locks contain companion apps that are incompatible with more recent firmware updates, your lock may be open to hackers.
This is why it’s crucial that the firmware on all of your smart devices is constantly updated. By linking to the lock’s Wi-Fi, you can check to see if the firmware is current.
How Can Hacking Be Prevented?
1 .Utilise smart locks made by reputable brands.
Do well to get your products from reputable manufacturers since the locks are more likely to be equipped with modern and effective security protocols.
Inexpensive smart locks might be more desirable, but they are probably less secure, which might make them much simpler to hack. The best smart locks have security features built in to ensure they are always safe.
2. Immediately a Fresh Firmware Is Ready, Upgrade Your Locks
Installing the most recent firmware on your lock is one of the most crucial precautions you can take to thwart hacking. This will fix any flaws in the source code of your lock, defending you from hackers trying to take advantage of it.
3. Employ an AES-encrypted smart lock
To assure its security, every smart lock that is worth your money should include at least 128-bit AES encryption. This is one of the most sophisticated security systems available, and it will render it nearly impossible for any hacker to enter your house without having access to your password or Wi-Fi.
4. Employ two-factor authentication
An enhanced security technique you can use to guard against unauthorized access to your smart locks is two-factor authentication. This implies that in order to gain entry to the system, you will require both your password and a second form of authentication, typically a security token delivered to your smartphone.
5. Verify ANSI Grade Rating
The American National Standards Institute established ANSI grade rating as a benchmark to rate the security procedures of locks. For the majority of hackers, locks with an ANSI grade rating of at least 1 should be sufficient.