The short answer to this question is yes. No garage door opener is 100% hacker-proof however, there are precautions that you can take that will make it much less likely for your door to be hacked. Here we will discuss a bit about different openers and which ones are the most secure. If you have valuables in your garage, it is important to have an understanding of this matter, so you are better able to protect your home.
Older model garage door openers with a remote use radio frequency signal to open and close the garage door. This can be very easily hacked into. If a hacker has a device called a “code grabber,” all they must do is leave this device hidden somewhere within range of your door and when you operate the door with the remote, it will record the radio frequency. It basically makes a copy of your remote opener. The hacker can then return at another time, when they know you are not at home or in the night and easily open your garage.
If you have an opener with a rolling code, it makes this job for the hacker more difficult. A rolling code means that the frequency does not stay the same. The opener will generate a new one every time it is used. There is a way around the rolling code, however. If the hacker uses a “rolljam” it can block the code the first time you press the remote button, record it and the door will not open, so then you press the button again, and the door opens. The hacker can then use the first code that it recorded to open the door. Many companies have made this more difficult by having the codes expire after a short time. This gives the hacker less time to use the recorded code. If you have a Lift-Master or Chamberlain opener, the remote will say “Security+” if it uses a rolling code.
Smart openers can unfortunately also be hacked. The hacker will do this by hacking into your Wifi network and this will give them complete access to all devices connected to it. Besides protecting your personal information, this is another reason to ensure that you have a secure Wifi network. There are some simple things you can do to increase security such as ensuring that you have a strong password, changing the Wifi name so it does not easily tell the hacker what provider and router you are using, setting up a firewall and putting smart devices onto another network.
Although no garage door openers are 100% secure, you can feel quite confident in the newer models. Fixed code garage doors are becoming quite old now and would have already been replaced. If you by chance still have one of these openers, it is definitely a good idea to upgrade to a newer model with better security, especially if you keep anything of value in your garage.
ONC Doors is always available to help with any garage door opener needs or concerns. We will happily assist you with choosing the right door opener for your home. Contact us for more information on garage door openers. We service Toronto and all throughout the GTA.
