Protect Your Home From Garage Door Hackers
Everyone knows that personal electronics like laptops and mobile phones require protection from internet thieves who might be able to steal valuable data and information. Well, California’s leading garage door company – The Door Company – wants you to know that your garage door is also susceptible to getting hacked through your garage door remote.
When it comes to home security, garage doors are a common weak point and an easy target for thieves. Garage doors are not only susceptible to break-ins, but provide criminals a shelter once inside. To the casual passerby, an open garage with a work truck pulled up to it doesn’t look unusual or resemble a break-in.
Garage Door Break-Ins
Today most garage door break-ins occur when a thief has the chance to steal the garage opener from your car. “It’s just a matter of tracing your license plate or VIN number back to your address,” TDC President, President Mark Stuenkel.
“That’s why you should never leave your garage door opener in plain sight. Always lock your car door to prevent car and home burglaries.”
Automatic Garage Door Openers
The Door Company offers automatic garage door openers featuring “rolling-code” technology, where the remote transmits a brand new security code each time the homeowner uses the remote. Since there are over 100 billion codes, the likelihood of a code grabber working is very slim.
If you don’t Have rolling code technology, The Door Company recommend the following safety tips:
- While on vacation, unplug the garage door opener unit or use a vacation lock on the wall console switch, which is an optional accessory on some garage door openers. Also, consider attaching C-clamps to the door tracks to help lock down the door.
- Wireless keypads, which activate the garage door opener with a personal identification number (PIN), are available on most garage door systems. This allows family members to open the door without the use of a key or remote. Never disclose the PIN or leave it written down.
- Never leave the remote control in the car or with a parking attendant. It should be treated like a house key.
- Always lock the door from the garage to the inside of your home for greater safety and security.
- Check to make sure your garage door is closed when you lock your entry doors at night.
- Invest in a secure inner garage door, especially if it connects to your home. This is a heavy gauge, solid door with an anti-kick device and its own deadbolt. The door should be equipped with a wide-angle peephole. This way you can see into the garage if you hear a strange noise.
- Many security-minded homeowners use low-cost security cameras to record activity around their garages. When a thief sees one of these cameras pointing their way, they will likely just move on to the next driveway.
“Your garage door is a major point of access into your home, so it is essential to safety,” said Stuenkel. “We would be happy to send out a service technician to inspect your garage door for vulnerabilities and install rolling code technology.”