These days, a thief doesn’t necessarily need a crowbar or a brick to break into your garage. In fact, he just might use a computer to hack into your smart garage door opener. It’s a scary, brave new world, but you don’t have to be the victim. There are ways to protect your garage, even against cyber attacks. Modern intruders require modern security solutions. Like a good locking system, cyber security is essential when it comes to securing your home.
The Evolution of Technology
Once upon a time, automatic garage door openers operated on a closed wire system. The door would open from a button you’d push from the inside of the vehicle. Radio technology enabled doors to be opened via remote. Of course, remotes attached to front seat visors presented their own security challenge but nevertheless, this advent in garage door technology was welcomed by homeowners and commercial businesses . The first radio remotes operated on the same frequency of the closed wire system, which presented its own security challenges that needed to evolve over time. Eventually a series of 12 dip switches were created to allow over 4,096 possible settings.
“Open Sesame” and Brute Force Hacks
But today’s computers can now cycle through thousands of settings in less than a blink of an eye. In fact, security expert Samy Kamkar designed his “Open Sesame” device using a simple messaging toy that had been discontinued by Mattel. He tweaked the toy to be able to open his door, and any other unsecured door in less than a minute. He released his code publicly to encourage manufacturers to adapt and make their own devices safer.
Today’s manufacturers combat these brute force attacks by using rolling codes that change the codes every time the code is used.
Smart Garages
If your overhead door is rocking old technology, it’s a smart idea to upgrade to the latest in garage door security tech. Modern smart garage doors and openers have been built to keep security in mind. Not only are there endless benefits, like being able to open or lock your doors remotely, but security is also a top feature on most products on the market. Add security cameras to the mix and you’ll always get a front row seat to what’s happening around your garage door.
Rolling codes, as previously mentioned, are at the heart of modern smart garage tech. Each time your door is used, a new code is administered, making it difficult for hackers to crack. You can also take additional measures to secure your overhead door, like enabling 2-strike lockout. With rolling codes, hackers will have to try multiple times to get inside your home. By engaging 2-strike lockout, the garage door will fully lock if it fails to open.
Security is key and never worth compromising on. When it comes time to secure your garage door, consult a professional team of experts who can recommend popular smart overhead openers and install them.