Security systems that utilize wireless equipment and monitoring are increasing in popularity because of their flexibility in terms of installation, use, upgrades, and moving. However, these kits come with their own vulnerabilities. Fortunately, different products have their strengths and weaknesses. So, do not get disheartened if you’re planning to acquire one.

Products that promise to protect homes deserve heightened levels of scrutiny. That’s why it isn’t surprising to get plenty of strong views about the potential susceptibilities of fashionable security systems. After all, home safety is more like a chess game: you want your system to be several moves ahead of the bad guys.

One of the main concerns about home security systems is whether or not a given device can be so vulnerable that burglars can block it from working altogether. With a wired set up, it is possible that criminals can locate the right cable and cut it. This is how they can shut down your system.

A wireless set up involves sticking a number of battery-powered sensors around your home to keep an eye on your doors, windows, motion, and other things. That addresses most cord-cutting concerns. However, when it comes to jamming, a thief can use a device that tunes to the right frequency, blocking an alert signal from reaching your system’s base station.

Jamming and Wireless Devices

Jamming concerns are not unique to security systems. Any device that’s meant to receive a wireless signal at a certain frequency is at risk. Stronger signals coming in can overwhelm weaker ones in such devices as long as the corresponding signals’ frequencies are the same.

What criminals need is the knowledge of the frequency at which your security system is operating and the right equipment to jam it. Sadly, it’s a requirement that security devices list the frequencies they operate at. This means it’s possible for thieves to get all the information they need to jam your security system with minimum research.

What You Need to Do

Although it is true that all wireless security systems come with their own vulnerabilities, there are some things you can do to reduce the risk of jamming. Here are some suggestions:

• Ensure that there are no signs indicating the type of security system you are using as this could give burglars easy work because they’ll only need to put the pieces together.
• Acquire systems that are not easy to jam. This is because it’s easier to find and purchase jamming equipment for certain frequencies as compared to others. For instance, so many common radio devices broadcast at the 400Mhz range. Therefore, it’s easier for a burglar to find equipment off the shelf that’s capable of jamming those frequencies.
• Purchase a system that’s capable of distinguishing between RF interference and targeted jamming attacks. In the event of an attack, such a device can notify you to sound the alarm manually.

The Bottom Line

No wireless security system is impenetrable. All of them have vulnerabilities that knowledgeable burglars can theoretically exploit. A great system is one that can keep worst-case scenarios as improbable as possible while also providing robust protection when there’s a less extraordinary attack.