Are Digital Locks Safe?

Safety has become a significant concern for many property owners who want to safeguard their belongings or the welfare of family, friends, or colleagues. Digital door locks offer a comprehensive solution for securing your property, with many security features that seek to give you peace of mind every day. Going keyless can provide plenty of benefits to securing your property, but there are still concerns that digital locks are not as safe as they are made out to be. Is this true? This article will explore the true safety value of a digital lock and what you should know before buying one.

Digital locks come equipped with various security features that aim to enhance your property’s security and prevent would-be burglars from trying to break into your home. Most digital locks come with several different access methods that do away with the need for a physical key, as seen in traditional key locks. These access methods include a PIN code (most digital locks come with a standard keypad to use this feature), RFID tags, biometrics readers (like a fingerprint scanner), built-in palm or facial recognition cameras, and wireless connectivity to use your smartphone to engage or disengage the lock. That way, you can enter or exit your property and keep it secured while you are away.

The keyless nature of digital locks has made it so much easier for homeowners to get in and out of their property. Doing away with a set of physical keys for different key locks can ensure you can enter and exit your property much more quickly than usual. All you need to do is use any available access methods, and you are good to go.

In fact, some digital locks, known as smart locks, come with additional features that can integrate with other devices in your property or with your smartphone, giving you further control over their security functions. In most cases, you can use a dedicated app that can engage or disengage the lock at will with the tap of a button, or even allow you to track activity at your door and see if someone may have dropped by in front of your house.

A digital lock contains various technological innovations enabling it to perform its varied functions, whether to keep your property secured at all times or protect you with additional features like built-in sensors that can automatically disengage the lock when a fire breaks out. To ensure the lock functions at its best, many models feature many elements to help improve the overall safety of your property.

There is still a worry that digital locks are easy to hack, compromising the layers of security they add. Even as technology improves, hackers are improving their skill set to break into a home secured by digital locks. No system is completely foolproof, but many digital locks come with advanced encryption protocols that make unauthorised access by a hacker that much more difficult. Whether 128-bit or 256-bit encryption, these protocols add a layer of tamper protection that prevents a hacker from stealing your digital lock’s data and communications and decoding it for their gain.

Every digital lock has at least two access methods by default, while higher-quality models may even have as many as eight. These include more convenient options such as built-in facial and palm pattern recognition, further enhancing accessibility without compromising security. Even if one of these access methods were to encounter a malfunction or some other issue, you still have other access methods to rely on.

Some models come with a manual override key in an emergency, such as when power is cut and the digital lock becomes inactive. While this defeats the purpose of a keyless digital lock, it is still an option you can use when you desperately need it.

While traditional key locks are quite durable because of their all-metal construction and deep embedding into a door’s internal structure, digital locks also feature durable materials and construction techniques to withstand significant physical force. Some models also come with additional anti-tamper features that can set off an alarm when someone tries to tamper with the digital lock, or even send a notification to your smartphone to warn you about detected tampering attempts.

As we mentioned earlier, smart features enable your digital lock to seamlessly integrate with your smartphone or other devices, giving you plenty of control over the security of your property. The easy access from a central smartphone app ensures you can stay on top of any activity near your door, access entry and exit records, and even use the lock model’s built-in camera to see who might be at the door. These can be invaluable in keeping tabs on your property’s condition.

The myriad features of a digital lock can substantially enhance overall security, but a digital lock is only restricted to doors. In many cases of burglaries, they may target windows instead to break into a property. In such cases, a digital lock could end up a liability. There can be other risks that you should note before investing in a digital lock.

A digital lock’s gradual use can lead to electronics and other components slowly wearing out. Such instances do not happen often, as many digital lock companies ensure they use high-quality electronics to ensure they last a sufficiently long time, especially with occasional maintenance. However, if any of these hardware components fail without warning (even if it might be a simple fault), it can adversely impact your property’s security and leave it open to a burglary while you are away and unaware of what has happened.

While encryption is a core part of a digital lock’s security features, some hackers may still be able to bypass these encryption protocols and tamper with the lock’s functions. However, such hacking attempts are not easily performed, and specialised tools and significant knowledge are required for a successful hack. The good news is that regular firmware updates from the digital lock manufacturer will ensure the model’s security is always several steps ahead of hackers.

Most digital locks are battery-powered, using actual batteries (typically AA) or having a built-in battery pack that powers the lock for up to several months. These can easily be recharged by replacing batteries or recharging the battery pack with a compatible USB cable and a power bank. That ensures a power failure or blackout does not hamper its functionality whatsoever. However, if you forget to recharge your digital lock, it will become disabled, and you will have no other way to unlock the digital lock unless you happen to have spare batteries or a power bank and can access the battery section or charging port.

Unlike traditional key locks, digital locks can eventually become outdated as companies introduce newer models and phase out older ones. If your model is replaced and no longer supported, you may be left in the lurch; it can be costly to replace it with a new one, which can mean your digital lock is at a higher risk of hacking attempts.

The good news is that you can still use digital locks and overcome their weaknesses with other security measures, some of which need not cost an arm and a leg to enhance your property’s safety.

Even if you are going out for a short duration, it is always a good idea to lock the door once you leave your property. Most digital door locks will automatically engage the locking mechanism when the door is closed, ensuring no one can enter your property once the door locks. If you use the PIN code functionality, ensure you use a sufficiently long code that only you will remember. Avoid using common number arrangements such as your birth date, car license plate, and more.

Combine your digital lock with surveillance systems like closed-circuit cameras that can provide live security footage at key points inside and around your property. Surveillance systems are highly effective deterrents that can actively monitor your property while keeping potential burglars away once they realise their actions can be recorded and used by the authorities to identify and apprehend them. Some digital locks do allow you to use the built-in camera to identify visitors at your door, but due to storage concerns, they may not be able to store footage over long periods of time. Having these two working in tandem can help to heighten security in and around your property.

The least you can do is enhance other vulnerable areas of your property to deter burglars from attempting to break in. That can include reinforcing the windows with stronger materials that are harder to break or installing metal grilles to cover up the windows and prevent burglars from gaining access to them. You can also consider reinforcing the doors and door jambs to make it harder for burglars to break in with force.

Enjoy peace of mind, high-quality home security, and more, thanks to Eazea’s selection of the latest digital and smart locks. Take your pick from our Korean-engineered digital locks at affordable prices, or opt for something fancier or more high-tech with select picks from Samsung, Philips, and Midea. Going keyless has never been Eazea!