Home automation is one of the fastest-growing and most lucrative industries. Statistics by Fortune Business Insights predict that the global home automation market size might increase to USD 163.24 billion in 2028, up from USD 72.30 billion in 2021.
Seamless integration of various smart devices and remote property access are the leading factors behind the growing demand for home automation services. Unlike before, it’s now easy to adjust thermostats remotely to control the temperature in your home. You can also stop a burglar in their track by syncing your home security alarm systems with your smartphone.
But while home automation technology has significantly reduced burglary cases, reports of garage break-ins are still common. Many of these breaches are often due to hacking garage door openers.
However, there’s no major cause for alarm. Adopting specific measures can help prevent your garage door opener from being hacked.
This article looks at those interventions.
Photo Credit: AdobeStock.com
How Do Hackers Breach Garage Door Openers?
One of the frequently asked questions by many homeowners is, can your garage door be hacked? The answer is a resounding yes, and the process is often faster than you imagine.
Hackers may use two primary methods to breach your garage door opener. They include Brute Force and OpenSesame.
Brute force is a hacking technique most effective on older garage door openers that still utilize fixed codes known as dip switches.
Dip switches are easier for hackers to breach because they grant you access to your garage using the same code. That means a hacker can simply overwhelm the switches with many codes and possibly stumble on one that unlocks your garage. It’s only worse if the burglar already has some clue of your potential passwords, such as the year of birth, address, and last digits of your cell phone.
The OpenSesame technique is even more effective. According to a security expert named Samy Kamkar, this method can wirelessly breach your garage door opener in seconds.
Although it’s also practical with fixed-code garage doors, including wireless capabilities makes OpenSesame a real threat to home security.
Photo Credit: AdobeStock.com
Tips to Make Your Garage Door Opener Hacker-proof
-
Always Keep Your Garage Door Closed When Not In Use
Most home invasions are carried out by opportunistic robbers – those who simply see an opportunity, such as an open garage door, and decide to capitalize on it.
Therefore, it’s best to keep your garage door closed whenever it’s not in use. This prevents potential burglars from peeping into the garage and spotting valuables to steal.
Also, never leave your remote outside or in the car. That’s another invitation for thieves to break into your garage door and rob it.
-
Upgrade to a Rolling Code System
Garage door openers still using older single-fixed digital codes are highly vulnerable to hacks. So, upgrading to a rolling code system is an excellent strategy for reducing these breaches.
Also known as hopping codes, rolling codes utilize a proprietary coding system that auto-selects a new code from billions of possible combinations each time you activate the system. That makes them incredibly hacker-proof.
It’s worth noting that a rolling code system will only work when a compatible remote has been coded to the motor. Clicking a button on the opener sends a unique code to the receiver each time, allowing only authorized access to the garage.
Photo Credit: AdobeStock.com
-
Install a Deadlock on Your Garage Door
It’s easy to miss warning signs of burglary attempts on your property, especially if you’re rarely at home. In such cases, installing a deadlock on your garage door can offer an extra layer of security.
A deadlock is a lock that permanently shuts when you close the door and only opens with a key from the outside. It eliminates homeowners’ nagging concerns regarding whether they lock their garage doors.
A deadlock is an instant turn-off. Only the most ambitious burglars will carry through with their plans after noticing such a lock on the garage door.
-
Install Motion-sensor Lights
Motion-sensor lights automatically turn on when they pick up movements around your garage door. Depending on the technology, some sensors can be so sharp that even the subtlest movements don’t go undetected. They can also cover a range fairly longer than 50 to 80 feet.
Motion-sensor lights are an effective deterrent to potential garage door hackers. The lights shine brightly when a burglar walks within the detection range, fooling them into believing that someone’s home.
Besides deterring garage door hackers, motion-sensor lights are also valuable for illuminating the garage door area during poor visibility.
-
Sync Your Garage Door with Your Smartphone
Upgrading to an internet-enabled garage door is another innovative hacker-proof technique.
Once the door is connected to the internet, sync it with your smartphone and enable a two-step authentication. This ensures that anyone trying to open the garage door must take specific actions on their phone.
You could also consider installing LiftMaster’s myQ application. Designed exclusively for smart garage doors, this app lets you control your garage door remotely. You’ll receive a notification whenever someone accesses the door. There’s also an option for enabling controlled garage door access.
Photo Credit: AdobeStock.com
Wrap Up
Cases of garage break-ins are rampant. You can join these statistics or be proactive enough by implementing any of the above-listed interventions to hacker-proof your garage door.
Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn
Read Related News On TDPel Media
