Smart Speakers: What you Need to Know
Ok Google, Alexa, Hey Siri. These are phrases that can be used to interact with a smart speaker via Google, Amazon or Apple. And while these virtual assistants are great for playing music, setting a timer or asking a question, take extra precaution when using them in other ways.
Home Automation
A number of third party providers integrate with the smart speakers to help you create a “smart home.” Using voice commands, you can turn on lights, change the thermostat or unlock doors. While this convenience can help to simplify your life, be sure you have security precautions in place for these features.
For lights, and especially locks, implement a PIN or password requirement before action can be taken using a voice command. Imagine a savvy burglar coming up to your house and yelling through the door for your smart speaker to unlock the door or turn off the lights. They now have access to your home and the cover of darkness.
Alarm System
Any alarm system that is integrated with a smart speaker should limit the voice functionality to only arming the system or require a PIN to do more. Disarming must require a step to identify the requester. If this is not part of the system you are using, pick something else! Many smart speakers also restrict voice commands from accessing alarm status and history. This adds a layer of protection you want. You do not want a burglar or any unauthorized person asking if your alarm is armed or not.
Also, be aware that many of these hubs work on RF technology which can be vulnerable to signal jamming. This impacts the effectiveness of the alarm communication and may allow someone to bypass the alarm.
Shop til you Drop
We have all seen the news stories about children ordering toys through their family’s smart speaker. In one case, it seems even the family pet got in on the action. A parrot in Great Britain loves to chat with Alexa and seemingly placed an Amazon order (Mirror Sept 20, 2017). The shopping functionality usually includes a verification step. But be sure to watch your order alerts in case kids (or pets) find a workaround!
Advertisers have also been known to use the trigger terms on television, waking the speaker and perhaps even manipulating what it does next. The smart speaker companies act quickly once they are aware of these efforts, but it is something to keep your ear out for as well.
Who is Listening?
While smart speakers are always listening, they only record when the activation word is heard. The recording will include a fraction of a second before the word was heard and the interaction after. This is all saved to the cloud. But, you can go in and delete any or all of the recordings at any time. The only caveat is that by deleting the recordings, your system cannot continuously learn about your voice and speech patterns to improve understanding over time.
We Can Help!
At Cultris Security, we can get you set up with smart home or security capability. Honeywell products are compatible with Echo and Apple HomeKit (Lyric line specifically). For Google Home users, alarm.com has an integrated security option. Call us today at 281-506-8466 or visit us online.
