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Comment by unclekev | Hacker News Reader

The thought of - if the 'bad guys' get access to a single machine, they can potentially control every security related device in my house makes me very anxious.

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I don't know about your average bad guy, but here in France they smash your window with a rock found nearby then take everything they can in 5 minutes.

If you ever have the opportunity try to smash a modern double-glazed window with a rock. Stand well back though because the rock will just bounce back at you.

Large parts of Minneapolis beg to differ.

You just need to be slightly smarter than the average opportunistic thief. Hit the glass very hard in the corner where it is held most firmly so that you get a large force distributed over a small area, that is the largest stress. The same thing goes for smashing a car window. I have a small spring loaded device on my keyring for exactly this purpose [1].

A slightly smarter thief might carry a hammer specifically designed to break double glazing [2]. Mind you carrying that in the UK could count as 'going equipped' if you don't have a plausible excuse.

Otherwise just use a heavy pointed rock in the corner of the window.

But of course most burglars don't break windows, they take advantage of open windows, doors than can be forced, sliding doors that can simply be lifted out of the track, and other flaws in building security.

[1] Like this: https://www.smartasaker.no/no/artiklar/resqme-belteskjarer-a... [2] For instance: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00EFZC62Q

What I've noticed is that in France most people, including in flats, have extremely strong and secure doors and locks while here in the UK most people have simple doors with simple barrel locks.

It seems massively easier to break into a home this side of the channel.

They more likely use something like a spark plug to break the window.

For those wondering how a spark plug would work: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja_rocks

In my area they learn your schedule, break in through the back door with a crowbar while you're walking the dog, and have a friend pull a moving van into your driveway. At least that's what one very successful group did a while back before they got themselves caught.

A) what bad guys? Best to try to be specific when you’re threat modeling.

B) Does your home have easier ingress methods that don’t require finding the server, hacking into it, and hitting the correct button? For example, a first floor window?

B) being true doesn't make the cautiousness around home smart device security less important. Do you want to elaborate on where you were planning to go on this?

I guess my point is to be realistic with your threat modeling. Sure don’t advertise the wifi password that grants access to your smart lock, but also realize that the vast majority of crime is that of opportunity. Unless you think you are being targeted by sophisticated people who want more than your cash and tv, worrying about the security of your IoT devices is probably misplaced.

I agree that most crime is crime of opportunity. I'd categorise automated bots sniffing for open ipcams, or other devices as that too. I consider my privacy is as valuable as my possessions :)

Yeah... great idea to hang just such a machine with credentials on an SD card in a plastic box outside your front door.

I need a video doorbell with my own remote storage. but the camera sensor part and the button needs to be the only thing on the untrusted side of the door.

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