$20 'Toy' Deactivates Cheap Home Alarms, Opens Doors

Posted by Soulskill on Friday September 13, 2013 @01:43AM from the don't-come-in-or-i'll-beep-at-you dept.

mask.of.sanity writes "Cheap home alarms, door opening systems and wireless mains switches can be bypassed with low-cost and home-made devices that can replicate their infrared signals. Fixed-code radio frequency systems could be attacked using a $20 'toy', or using basic DIY componentry. Quoting: 'Criminals might be able to capture IR signals if they can get a line of sight to when the system is being armed or disarmed. If a criminal knows what type of alarm system you're using then they could do what we did here and reverse it for cloning a remote. A more likely scenario is just to buy a duplicate system and use that remote. Not all IR remotes can be switched from the same system. It depends on whether a code is being transmitted and how many variations of the code and remote exist. In the system described in this post, there is no code, just a carrier signal. If a code is being transmitted, then the Infrared toy can capture it and replay it. So that's your best bet for a criminal looking at a completely unknown remote.'"

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It's simpler than that. by Medievalist · 2013-09-13 07:15 · Score: 3, Interesting

Your best defense against burglary isn't cops, dogs, or security systems.
Your best defense against burglary is availability of meaningful, good paying work in your geographic area.
That's why the 1% clump together in gated communities or live far away from everybody else. Because they know cops, dogs and security systems are mostly just security theater, and the best way to be truly secure in your belongings is to stay far away from the hungry and unemployed.