General Category > Ideas/Feature requests

Sensor Polling or Negative Response

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fillibar:
It has been noted before that there should be a way to identify if a sensor is not reporting anymore or has not reported in a specified timeframe. I have this problem with a motion detector that does not want to mesh (it always says motion, always) and a window sensor I found had a dead battery (but I never got warned about it). These scenarios should be something that can be resolved.

Now, a related issue has made some big news. I would say this should be another reason for Securifi to look into solving this and maybe setting themselves apart by being proactive about it (before it happens to a Securifi user/system).
http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/01/comcast-security-flaw-could-help-burglars-break-into-homes-undetected/

SecureComp:
Old news.

Any system depending on electronic "links" is subject to polling issues.

The use of battery supported sensors is a choice, so is the use of wireless sensors and the associated risks.

That said, not a big deal to automate polling of "protection" sensors when in the Away or Armed Perimeter modes.

In fact, with the SDK or the new WS API, pretty easy to do.  It will be a battery killer, but it will work. Can even set an adjustable polling interval.

fillibar:
Understood risk but I think this is a prompting for the industry, and in my request Securifi, to start building in ways to mitigate that risk in a way that the customer can readily deal with ESPECIALLY those that are not savvy enough to manipulate it in an SDK.

Having a set of polling options (they can even be defaulted OFF and have a warning message that it could drain the batteries) would be acceptable. In the case of my motion sensor... it is not using batteries. It has them as a backup but has a wired power as the primary. It is just too dumb apparently to mesh properly (and there is no option I know of yet to "repair" or try to get it to do otherwise).

But if you have a device that regularly reports back, even if it was every 2 hours, you SHOULD know if it did not report in when expected. If that model allows for changing the polling interval make that possible to manipulate. Yes, you could look at the history and figure it out manually... but the whole point of this stuff is making it "smarter".

SecureComp:
Understood.

I have a problem with the article as it's a hyped attention grab by both the security firm and Ars Technica imho.

I'm going duplicate the test with some foil and a couple sensors and look at the times to re-integrate and report appropriate/proper status.  The issue is getting the correct status upon re-connect as well as paying attention to communication status while in Away or Perimeter Armed mode.

The risks with Wireless Security Systems and Hardline based Notification Systems are nothing new. By the same token, industry needs to work the issues, improve and innovate to mitigate risks. Yours is a good suggestion.

fillibar:
Oh, totally an attention grab. Comcast was chosen because they are a big name, and most people hate them anyways. Time Warner uses a similar system, Lowe's Iris would be susceptible... Etc...

Heck, a wired one could have the cable cut if an intruder was that focused on it. Which also leads to a key point, whether they are prepared or opportunistic. Nothing would stop someone that is preparing to break into your house and planning it. Not much is likely to stop an opportunist EXCEPT deterrence. If it looks too tough or risky, they move on to your neighbor. If they decide it is yours, they are in.

All that being said, no reason not to try to mitigate it.

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