Recently, a colleague approached me for advice who wanted to install a wireless security system. The very idea of ​​wireless communications attracted him, but he seriously feared for the security of such a system. He was especially embarrassed by the fact that wireless sensors could be triggered even if the system was not armed, because this allows the outside to determine that someone is in the room and is moving. I, of course, am not paranoid, but it is better to completely exclude such a possibility in the future, when it will be too late to pull the wires, for example, after repairs or in the absence of suspended ceilings.

Nowadays, wireless systems for various purposes are gaining more and more popularity. You can find wireless security and fire systems, as well as video surveillance systems Distributor CCTV, electrical load control, etc. The advantages of a wireless system are obvious, and advertisements keep repeating them. However, we have to pay for all the amenities, including the comfort of the absence of wires, but we do not always pay with money.

Wireless systems are more vulnerable in terms of security than traditional wired systems. The most obvious vulnerability is information leakage to the outside, and it is almost impossible to control such a leak. Anyone within the range of the wireless system can access the information transmitted by the wireless sensors. And if for wired systems, in the event of an unauthorized connection, it is possible to localize where the information leak has occurred, then for wireless systems this can be any point in the coverage area and it is almost impossible to determine it. It is easier to protect a wired system from tampering. It is enough to restrict the access of unauthorized persons to the places where the cable route is laid. With wireless systems, everything is much more complicated, connection is possible at any point of the radio signal coverage, it is practically impossible to determine the location of the leak, and the technical means for connecting or introducing interference into an active signal have recently become much more affordable.

Even if the control panel is not armed, wireless sensors such as motion detectors continue to provide information. As a result, signals from triggered wireless sensors are sent to the control panel, although it does not process them in any way. Thanks to this, you can visually evaluate the operation of the wireless sensor, its coverage area.
Signal jamming

When the system is armed, you can check how to mute the signal of the wireless sensors. To do this, just turn on the portable jammer and see if the signal passes. Moreover, this will not arouse any suspicion. An attacker can safely enter the office, test the signal suppression, and leave just as calmly. And according to the results of his visit, he, having received the necessary information about the work of the security system, will be able to confidently plan his crime.
When are wireless systems irreplaceable?

Therefore, wireless systems should only be installed where they cannot be dispensed with. These can be hard-to-reach places, for example, mountainous areas, where there are no cable communications, and the cost of their laying is prohibitively high. It also makes sense to use wireless systems when something was not taken into account when laying the cable system and it is no longer possible to lay additional cables. In this case, the wireless system is not comprehensive, that is, it does not provide all the information about the protected object, controls only part of it, and information leakage will not pose a threat to the security of the object.