11mo ago

Minnesota burglars are using Wi-Fi jammers to disable home security systems

www.techspot.com Minnesota burglars are using Wi-Fi jammers to disable home security systems

Police in Edina, Minnesota, said that the string of burglaries over the past half a year doesn't involve victims who are chosen at random; instead, the criminals...

Minnesota burglars are using Wi-Fi jammers to disable home security systems::undefined

36 comments

If it is running over Wi-Fi it isn't really security, it is a toy. At the very best a visual deterrent for opportunistic people.
- So is all the locks on your door...
  You can have a metal door with 3 deadbolts and a cast iron storm door also padlocked.
  Still takes a small rock to break a window.
  
  "So are all"
  And yes I agree, if people want to get in they are going to get in but a lot of people buying these cameras some how think they are suddenly immune to crime.
  
  Reminds me of one of my favorite scenes from Burn Notice.
- At the very best a visual deterrent for opportunistic people.
  That's what all security is though.
  
  No security system is going to prevent someone from just kicking in your door and stealing your shit in 2 minutes, then leaving.
  But it's great for insurance purposes and tracking down people after they leave. And if your door or window is opened during the middle of the night, an alarm system is going to be fantastic for alerting you to someone in your house.
  WiFi security systems perform their function of deterrence, monitoring, and insurance claims just fine.
- Wow, I haven’t seen a more head-ass take since Linus last opened his mouth..

So setting everything up wired with PoE was a pain, but worth it.
- This, but don't forget to plug the router to a UPS!
- A pain and obviously I wish to never have a use for the recordings….

They can't do that, it's illegal!
- Can't we make crime illegal already?
  
  Reminds me of this gem
- Maybe not in Minnesota??

I guess if you're going to break the law anyway what's one more lawbreak. But I thought the FCC actively tracked down people using illegal frequency devices?
- thought the FCC actively tracked down people using illegal frequency devices?
  It depends on the frequency being deployed. Shit operating in the _2/5 ghz spectrum doesn't travel far at all, so unless an FCC agent is directly nearby when they're doing this, it's not going to be detected by them.
  However, if you're illegally blasting in the <1k mhz spectrum, that does travel far and more importantly it interferes with common bands used by public safety, air traffic controllers, DoD, etc (ATC is around 100mhz, public safety typically around 800mhz, DoD around 300mhz (although this varies)). That interference will definitely start being noticed and it's a matter of time before you're caught.
- I'm pretty sure those jammers (they saturate wifi band with trafic) are used only for burglary time, say 10-15 minutes, and very local, so the neighbour million$ mansion is far enough that they are not affected. How come FCC detect this?
- The FCC knows where my microwave is?
  
  You bet they do. They have trackers in every microwave sold. That's how they track Taylor Swift to influence the Russians. -s

"Minnesota"? Everyone, c'mon

Don't many of the wifi cameras include local recording to SD cards?
- Sure, but I wager many folks go with the easiest route and just rely on cloud storage or possibly local central storage.
  Regardless, hardwire is best for any "critical" system to avoid shit like this. I've been telling my family for years that once common criminals adapted to the times, people with wireless everything smart homes were going to be in for a world of hurt. My reason being that the vast majority of IoT type crap are notoriously riddled with easily exploitable vulnerabilities. WiFi jamming isn't anything new or even complex, but it's just the tip of the iceberg of what's to come for low tier criminals, IMO. We truly are entering the early stages of the cyberpunk era, but without all the cool cyberware implants (yet).
- They may not care about being filmed, so much as being able to call the cops while they're in the middle of robbing you.
  
  The article stated that they are watching the homes and going in when no one is home in order to avoid any confrontation.

36 comments