One of the less well-advertised aspects of the PC and Internet revolution is its impact on home automation security systems.
A combination of software and hardware can provide video surveillance cameras with intelligent tracking. They can, for example, come on when you leave the home and turn off when you arrive. They can be programmed to follow movements or sounds detected.
Light timers, to choose another example, have been on the market for decades. But in times past these were simple timing devices that turned the lights on at a pre-set time and turned them off at another. With the addition of computer technology, they can now be programmed to switch off and on at random times and days. That adds an extra layer of reality simulation that helps fool the bad guys.
Some systems have the drawback that when the power goes, the system goes. Thieves can easily turn the power off to your home at the street or by flipping off unprotected circuit breakers on a panel on an exterior wall. That can disable any computer, cameras, lights and more that you’ve installed to protect your home.
But that need not be the case. A simple battery backup system, ranging in price from $50 to a few hundred dollars, can provide a few minutes or even a few hours of enough power to keep the PC, and one or two lights and cameras functioning. When thieves see that their scheme to disable your system failed, they are more likely to pick another target. Systems that can be built for a few thousand dollars could power your whole home for hours.
Automation can disable locks at certain hours or under programmable conditions. That means, if you’re not home but the thief has a key, it’s unusable. That key could have been obtained by an unscrupulous babysitter who is a partner to the thief, for example. That leaves them in the (unplanned) position of having to break in. That again increases the odds that they’ll give up and pick a more vulnerable target.
Automated locks can go beyond the traditional key/deadbolt system, though. There are lock systems that work off a combination, which can require a small token only you and family members carry. The combination is changed at random, but synchronized with the token. That means that at any given moment, only you and trusted others have the correct sequence of numbers.
Such features have been incorporated into alarm systems, as well. Older-design alarm systems, which are still common, work off a special combination. But that information can be obtained by techniques that are common among identity thieves today. Passwords are often written down, where they can be seen by someone willing to do a little spying. But a token-based system changes the combination every minute, making it possible to disarm it only if you have the token.
Look into the ways technology can help you increase the protection of your home. The costs are often very small compared to what you might lose, and can sometimes be offset by reductions in homeowners insurance premiums.
Coming up this weekend: “Home Security – Apartment-Condo Security Techniques”
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Customer Review: I didn’t find this “book” all that helpful. It’s more like a high-level overview of security and common practices. I didn’t really find any nuggest of wisdom or neat tricks or even recommendataions really.
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Customer Review: Written in the UK, only partly applicable to the US market.
Wireless technology is not covered. Which is a big disadvantage since wireless has become the preferred alternative to hardwird systems. The lock technology presented seems to be quaint.
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