My home is my castle: Security technologies for the house

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Your home is your own private island of tranquility where you can rest easy — if it’s secure, that is. If not, then one not-so-fine day it could turn into a public place. With that in mind, we compiled a selection of trends and new products in the field of security technologies. We explain the advantages of each, and what you as a user need to take on board.

DIY security systems

Analysts predict that in the coming years more and more people will install their own security systems and monitor their homes without professional assistance. The market already offers numerous systems requiring no special knowledge and skills to set up or operate. The savings on installation and not having to connect to a centralized security desk are considerable, and therefore such systems are in demand. However, if you are thinking of purchasing a DIY system, it’s worth remembering some of the inconveniences you will inevitably face.

First, the alarm can be triggered at any moment, regardless of the time of day. Just imagine, you’re staying the night at your friend’s house or are on vacation by the sea, and you suddenly get a message from the security system. What do you do? Study the camera footage there and then in the middle of the night to see if the alarm made a mistake? Ignore the message? Postpone it until morning? What if your house really was burgled?

Second, potential communication issues always loom. Imagine if your phone’s battery decides to die at the wrong moment, or you’re out of coverage in the middle of nowhere. And at this very moment, thieves break into your home. The security system tries to warn you, but you are unavailable, and the message doesn’t get through. Sure, it might sound far-fetched, but it’s hardly impossible.

Third, if you take full responsibility for your home protection, then no one but you will be there to keep an eye on the security of the system itself. And any technology, even security-related technology, is prone to vulnerabilities that can be exploited by criminals.

For example, in 2017, researcher Ilia Schnaidman discovered bugs in the DIY-type system iSmartAlarm that allowed an intruder to take control of any alarm system and turn it on and off at will. And recently, Kaspersky experts hacked a Fibaro smart home, managing not only to disable the security system and surveillance cameras, but to remotely open the front door, which was fitted with a smart lock.

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