You will need to ask yourself a few questions with a smart lock.
- What happens if I lose my phone?
- What happens if the battery on the lock dies?
- Can someone use my voice assistant to unlock my door?
- Is there a backup key on the lock?
- What type of encryption does the company use on the passwords and access codes.
- Can I setup codes to my lock remotely?
We will go through each of these in more detail.
What happens if I lose my phone?
Most smart lock companies give you the option of logging into your account on their website and disabling all access codes from your device and removing your phone as a trusted device. The thief would not only need to get your phone and pin but if you only have a Bluetooth lock would need to be within 50-100 feet of your home for the lock to work.
What happens if the battery on the lock dies?
Most smart locks come with either an audible low battery alert warning or they will send you an alert via their app or text message to let you know well ahead of time that your lock batteries are running low.
Some locks are outfitted with a 9V battery backup system on the exterior that lets you recharge the lock battery from the outside if needed.
Most locks also come with a physical key backup option so that if your mobile phone and app or the lock is out of battery you can still access your home or apartment.
Can someone use my voice assistant to unlock my door?
The short answer is unlikely.
The longer answer is in theory their are a few locks on the market that this would be possible. The thief would have to know first of all that you have a smart lock in the first place. Some locks restrict voice control so that they can only lock and check the status of the lock and not unlock the device.
Is there a backup key on the lock?
Most smart locks come with a physical key backup.
What type of encryption does the company use on the passwords and access codes.
Most lock manufacturers will use AES with at least 128 bit encryption , the higher is better so if possible look for a lock with 256 bits.
Another issue to look out for is if the smart lock itself or a lock connected to a home hub will store your access code information on the device.
Another vector of attack is from your mobile phone being compromised and getting access to your codes via your locks app.
AV-Test did a nice breakdown of some top smart locks and their security capabilities if you would like to dig in more.
Can I setup codes to my lock remotely?
Many locks allow you to do this if you have Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity via the lock itself of using a bridge device or other smart home hub. In this situation you will need to make sure you follow best practices for keeping your smart phone secure.
Overall
If you are concerned about security we would recommend getting a interior deadbolt replacement version so that from the exterior you cannot tell that you have a smart lock installed at all. Another option for peace of mind is to have a smart video doorbell and have footage of your door recorded in the case something does occur.
