How Does Home Automation Affect Home Security?

April 21, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Smartphone-Phil CampbellAs the technology driven world continues to evolve, our lives are becoming more and more connected.  Virtual distances are shrinking.  This has been happening since the inception of the internet.  You no longer have to fly across the world to have a meeting, you simply login to a virtual meeting where you can talk “in-person” via video chat.  Although it may be imperfect, technology has certainly had an impact on all of our lives in one way or another.

Our lives are saturated in advanced technological gadgets, everything from our cars to our smartphones, why should our homes be any different?  It used to be enough having a home security system that would alert the authorities in an emergency, but why stop there?  Home automation, or the “connected home,” is quickly becoming an integral part of a comprehensive home security system.  It’s a driving force that is changing the way homeowners and system integrators perceive “home security.”

As a licensed security system provider, our professionals at Perfect Connections, Inc. are always looking for the best ways to protect your home.  We have been providing comprehensive security system solutions to residences throughout northern and central New Jersey for the past 23 years.  Technological advancement means we are constantly learning and adapting our solutions to best suit client needs.  That’s not to say just because something is new that it should be implemented, we do our due diligence before installation of any product including home automation devices.

Home automation products aren’t exclusively linked to home security.  In fact there is a plethora of automation devices that can be installed separate from a security system, often requiring a DIY (do it yourself) approach.  For example there are devices that can be attached to kitchen appliances that can be controlled by logging into apps on your smartphone.  However, rather than complicating our daily lives by having to download separate apps for everything in our homes, we have steadily been adopting technology in an effort to streamline and simplify.  When it comes to home security, with DIY solutions you’re likely not getting full coverage while simultaneously complicating processes.  Plus they often lack continuity and one of the most important aspects of a security system, monitoring.  Rather than separating the functions of a home security system and home automation, integrators and homeowners are combining the two creating more efficient and effective life safety and lifestyle systems.

One of the top benefits of home automation is convenience.  Capabilities include remote interaction with home devices and your security system.  Imagine being able to know the exact moment your kids walk through the front door while you’re at work or on your way home.  With home automation you’re able to set up custom notifications that will be sent to your smartphone, mobile device, or computer.  This means you can go on vacation and be notified of temperature drops in your home, package deliveries, or close the open garage doors you forgot about before you left.

Depending on your home automation application, often times you can log-in to your surveillance cameras, turn lights on and off, lock and unlock doors, control media (audio and video), arm and disarm your alarm system, all from the convenience of your mobile device.  When integrated with your home’s security system a singular control panel can be centralized to help avoid confusion that can result from having too many different operating mechanisms.

As a homeowner you might be asking yourself “how will home automation affect my security system?”  For the most part home automation is considered a promising and revolutionary approach to added home safety and efficiency, but as with anything, it isn’t perfect.  Any technology that operates over the internet inherently comes with the looming threat of hackers.  Why would someone want to hack a home automation or security system?  To state the most obvious, they’re likely interested in disabling your alarm system so they can break-in.  Other reasons could include wanting to cause general havoc by tampering with your lights or HVAC system, wasting energy for no other reason than driving up your utilities bill; for “fun.”

Fortunately there are ways to decrease the chances of being hacked, both on the user and integrator end.  In many cases home automation operates wirelessly over a home Wi-Fi network.  No matter how protected you think your network may be it should always be protected with encryptions and user authentication.  The same holds true for connected security devices and any device that transmits a signal.  There must be authentication between home automation devices, the security system, and whatever mobile device you are using to access them.  Otherwise your system is susceptible to third party hackers.

Take the case of Insteon home automation systems back in 2013.  Kashmir Hill, a Forbes Staff Writer, highlights the findings of David Bryan and Daniel Crowley, security researchers at Trustwave, and what they discovered is alarming (for lack of a better word).  They found that not only was there a lack of password protection on the consumer end, but that the Insteon products (now discontinued, for obvious reasons) themselves did not require usernames and passwords and were “crawl-able” (searchable) on the web.  This meant that anyone with a little know-how could access and mess with the connected Insteon products; unnerving to say the least.  Be sure to hire licensed professionals that fully understand the products they are installing and how they will interact with your home network.

While technology is imperfect and constantly transforming you can be sure if you hire a licensed security integrator with product knowledge and experience you’ll be setting yourself up for success.  A professional with industry knowledge will be able to ensure your system is as secure as it can be by using products that require authentication and that your network is encrypted.  As a licensed security system provider, our team at Perfect Connections, Inc. understands that securing a home and improving the lives of others doesn’t mean haphazardly throwing random products together just to get a job done.  We have been providing security solutions to homes throughout northern and central New Jersey since 1992.  Technological evolution is never-ending as is our commitment to providing the safest products and security systems available.

If you live or run a business in Central or Northern New Jersey and would like information on any of the topics discussed above, please call 800-369-3962 or simply CLICK HERE.

Image Credit: Image by Phil Campbell-Flickr-Creative Commons

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How to Secure a Parking Garage

April 7, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Parking Garage-David HilowitzThere are many architectural components to a business facility sometimes that includes a parking lot or garage.  Whether it is attached or detached, near or far from the main building it can be a convenient asset to any business.  It’s likely the place where you and your employees park in the morning and leave in the evening.  At some point in your life, whether you were at work or another establishment, you’ve probably had an uneasy feeling walking to your car.  But why?  Perhaps it had something to do with a perceived lack of security.

A parking lot or garage can often go overlooked when it comes to the security of an organization as it is not necessarily looked at as an actual part of the main building.  Often times organizations focus on protecting the areas people spend most of their time in, their office or interior work destination.  Sometimes a parking lot or garage isn’t even owned by the business it serves but rather an outside property manager.  However, parking destinations can often be high risk areas especially at night.  As a licensed security systems company our experts at Perfect Connections, Inc. assess the security risks of an organization as a whole.  We have been offering comprehensive security solutions to businesses throughout northern and central New Jersey for the past 23 years.  We understand not every business or location is the same, and with different locations comes different security risks.  Our team helps minimize risk by offering tailored security system solutions.

The risks associated with an unprotected parking lot or garage can be mitigated once brought to light.  Speaking of light, it is one of the most important safety factors in parking lots and garages.  As you’ve probably experienced at one point or another not all parking areas have adequate lighting, thus creating dark corners and easy hiding spots for potential criminals.  According to James Marcella, Director of Technical Services for Axis Communications, “The most effective deterrent to criminal activity is a well-lit area, because not only does it increase the ability for natural surveillance, it also improves the quality of recorded images from security cameras.”

Not only is it imperative for patrons to be able to see, but if something were to happen it’s crucial that security cameras record useable footage.  Lighting and surveillance tend to go hand-in-hand.  This means installing light fixtures that will provide ample illumination and an adequate CRI (Color Rendition Index) rating.  CRI ratings quantify the precision a light source has when it comes to reproducing color.  One of the best and overall cost effective options is LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting.

While lighting is paramount, surveillance is key when it comes to catching criminal behavior, especially in parking lots and garages.  In our current technological environment surveillance cameras and equipment are becoming more efficient and advanced.  For instance, garage and parking lot environments are not exactly the cleanest or protected areas, therefore surveillance equipment has to be able to withstand harsher elements.

Fortunately there are cameras built specifically for such vulnerable settings.  Vandal-resistant cameras happen to be a surveillance solution in volatile areas, providing protection from both human and environmental elements.  They typically come sealed from dust and moisture right out of the box making them durable and increasing their longevity.  This helps cut down on long term costs of repairs or replacements.

Aside from being durable, ease of integration is becoming a pervasive quality in cameras and security equipment.  Today, end-users are starting to migrate from analog camera systems to IP (Internet Protocol) for their image quality, coverage, and scalability.  This opens the door to whole system integration where a garage surveillance system can be on the same network as the business it services, or at least that’s the idea.  With IP and cloud-based surveillance systems becoming more ubiquitous, clearer images and video analytics are sure to play an important role in the security of any infrastructure, including parking lots and garages.  It would help cut down on the need for physical monitoring services as well provide a platform for remote access via a mobile device or computer.

When enhancing the safety of your parking lot or garage it’s important to consider landscaping, signage, cashier booths and pay stations, and alert systems for the patrons.  Landscaping around a garage or lot should be well kept and vegetation should be trimmed low to maintain a clear line of sight.  There should be clear signage that improves way-finding and some that indicates the area is under surveillance.  Sometimes seeing signage is enough to deter criminal activity.  Cashier booths and pay stations are crime targets for obvious reasons, therefore they should be well-lit and have adequate surveillance coverage.  Alert systems can be a helpful added security feature that would notify patrons by text message of any issues or disturbances while they are away.

Whether you are the owner of a parking lot/garage or a patron it is critical to ensure its security.  It’s not just about being vigilant of your property, it’s about protecting you, your employees, and your patrons.  As every location has different risks you should always call on a licensed security systems professional to perform an in-person security assessment.  Our team at Perfect Connections, Inc. has been providing comprehensive security solutions to businesses throughout northern and central New Jersey since 1992.  Our team is skilled at providing custom solutions tailored specifically to your needs.  We appreciate the complexities involved in protecting an organization as a whole.

If you live or run a business in Central or Northern New Jersey and would like information on any of the topics discussed above, please call 800-369-3962 or simply CLICK HERE.

Image Credit: Image by David Hilowitz-Flickr-Creative Commons

Filed Under: Business Security Systems Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,