Your Home or Business Security System Can Be Hacked

More good news (NOT) from the hacker frontier.  In a talk that is scheduled twin cybersecurity conferences BlackHat (August 2-7. Mandalay Bay Hotel) and DefCon in Las Vegas (Aug 7-10 Rio Hotel and Casino), cybersecurity researcher Logan Lamb will present a demonstration on how home and business security systems are vulnerable to hacking.

The problem lies with the newer wireless security systems.  Wireless window, door, and motion sensors are largely unencrypted, and can be intercepted and spoofed by thieves.  So in order to open a secured window or a door, all I need to do is send a signal to the base station that indicates the window or door is still closed, and I am in. 

Wireless sensor are more popular because installers can avoid drilling holes and running wires everywhere, and it makes it easier to have many more sensors without a lot of effort.  So you think your home or business is more secure with all the extra sensors, but this is not necessarily true.

And certain wireless camera systems, including Microsoft’s popular DropCam, can be used by criminals and others to spy on the owners.

The solution is to provide encrypted wireless channels for the security system to use.  If your system has this option, make sure it is set up.  And if it is not an option, ask your security company when that will be an option.  You can read a bit more on this subject at Silicon Beat.

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About the Author:

I am a cybersecurity and IT instructor, cybersecurity analyst, pen-tester, trainer, and speaker. I am an owner of the WyzCo Group Inc. In addition to consulting on security products and services, I also conduct security audits, compliance audits, vulnerability assessments and penetration tests. I also teach Cybersecurity Awareness Training classes. I work as an information technology and cybersecurity instructor for several training and certification organizations. I have worked in corporate, military, government, and workforce development training environments I am a frequent speaker at professional conferences such as the Minnesota Bloggers Conference, Secure360 Security Conference in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, the (ISC)2 World Congress 2016, and the ISSA International Conference 2017, and many local community organizations, including Chambers of Commerce, SCORE, and several school districts. I have been blogging on cybersecurity since 2006 at http://wyzguyscybersecurity.com

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