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submitted 5 months ago by lemmee_in@lemm.ee to c/technology@lemmy.world

The Los Angeles Police Department has warned residents to be wary of thieves using technology to break into homes undetected. High-tech burglars have apparently knocked out their victims' wireless cameras and alarms in the Los Angeles Wilshire-area neighborhoods before getting away with swag bags full of valuables. An LAPD social media post highlights the Wi-Fi jammer-supported burglaries and provides a helpful checklist of precautions residents can take.

Criminals can easily find the hardware for Wi-Fi jamming online. It can also be cheap, with prices starting from $40. However, jammers are illegal to use in the U.S.

We have previously reported on Wi-Fi jammer-assisted burglaries in Edina, Minnesota. Criminals deployed Wi-Fi jammer(s) to ensure homeowners weren't alerted of intrusions and that incriminating video evidence wasn't available to investigators.

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[-] ThePantser@lemmy.world 204 points 5 months ago

Don't use wireless for security, PoE or CCTV

[-] Chozo@fedia.io 91 points 5 months ago

Those aren't always options for renters, hence why wifi security systems are so popular.

[-] TragicNotCute@lemmy.world 82 points 5 months ago

Even beyond renting, installing a wifi camera is SO much cheaper than running Ethernet all over your house. And if you need it run through an external wall? Even more money.

[-] cm0002@lemmy.world 14 points 5 months ago

Not if you DIY. I just finished a project, not only wiring all rooms for Ethernet, but PoE for 10 exterior cameras.

You can get 500ft Cat 5e boxes off eBay for like ~$20, an extra long 1/2 inch drill bit (for punching through the exterior wall) was like another 20. Most expensive part was probably the metal conduit for the outside runs (I decided to only have 2 or 3 holes to the outside and run the cables in the conduit along the soffit to converge to one of 3 exterior holes for final routing within the house. That was probably 150-250)

All in all after estimating for secondary costs, like screws, brackets, sealant, a caulk gun, ceiling bracket for ceiling routing indoors etc this project was probably <400, pretty cheap as far as home improvement projects go

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[-] Milk_Sheikh@lemm.ee 12 points 5 months ago

Lawful- Neutral renter reporting in:

  • Fresh paint and a lot of putty hide a lot of sins
  • Magic erasers ARE magic
  • Home improvement stores just like sell door trim, hardware, etc and they’ll color match paint
  • Most post-inspectors are looking for egregious issues or evidence of a bad fix/cleanup. That’s now your threshold for quality

I fixed an entire doorframe trim and drywall after the back door got kicked in - paint and putty are your friends

[-] Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works 60 points 5 months ago

Renters have virtually no choice here. I hate it when people state this like it's some damn easy thing for everyone to do.

[-] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 16 points 5 months ago

The real answer is caching. Instead of writing video to the cloud live and losing all recordings during a wifi outage, it should just cash the last 30ish minutes in case of failure to connect to the cloud. Then once the connection is up again, it just uploads the cached video.

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[-] Socsa@sh.itjust.works 16 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Yes, if you have a $10M villa in LA where you store your priceless art collection invest in hard security. For the average person who just needs video for the insurance company for when some meth head steals their bike from the garage, it's a great solution.

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[-] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 14 points 5 months ago

IMHO, it comes down to your risk, what will make you feel comfortable, and how much money you want to spend. Pulling Ethernet through the walls and patching drywall might not be something you care to do if risk is low.

Also, if someone really wants to not be on camera, they’ll wear a mask, turn the power off at the main panel, etc. That said, there are cameras that can run on battery and store footage locally when they can’t phone home to wherever they deposit video files.

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[-] ChicoSuave@lemmy.world 119 points 5 months ago

The thieves are jamming WiFi systems and the comments on the article and on Lemmy seem to blame the victim for not being tech savvy. The bulk of Nest/Ring customers do so because the app is easy to use and the cameras easy to setup. By definition the victims are far less likely to be able to defend against this kind of jamming attack.

If the next step in escalation is to shut down the power to the house, will the victim be blamed for not having home batteries and solar panels?

Why not question the viability of WiFi systems in general? Has video ever been more than a deterrent to those scared of cameras? Fearless thieves who know how to deter the systems get free loot for their trouble.

Treat security like we did before 2010; improve physical security to defend instead of relying on deterrence.

[-] Entropywins@lemmy.world 41 points 5 months ago

Yeah, it's not really a spike in burglaries so much as a spike in a specific tool being used in burglaries. Whether they use a brick, wifi jammer or a gun they were going to rob someone someway...

[-] AA5B@lemmy.world 19 points 5 months ago

Or a hoodie. I’m not sure why it’s a big g deal to WiFi jam a video doorbell when you can also defeat it with a hoodie …. Plus that’s not a burglar alarm.

Whoever is peddling anything as a burglar alarm that depends on WiFi is the real criminal

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[-] WhyFlip@lemmy.world 15 points 5 months ago

LAPD is recommending cutting back shrubbery and coordinating with neighbors for extended leave... As a Los Angeles native, neither of these things happen. After all, high walls make for good neighbors.

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[-] inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world 80 points 5 months ago

While still hating this living dystopia, I do appreciate some of cyberpunk headlines we get.

[-] Fillicia@sh.itjust.works 52 points 5 months ago

That's one of the reason I went with a PoE camera. Just make sure your network is isolated so people can't connect to your internal network from the camera Ethernet cable.

[-] catloaf@lemm.ee 18 points 5 months ago

Or vice versa, connect to your cameras from the rest of your network.

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[-] Steamymoomilk@sh.itjust.works 52 points 5 months ago
[-] FrowingFostek@lemmy.world 12 points 5 months ago

Yes, he kicked down the Point Of Entry. Also, Power Over Ethernet is the best. It is known.

[-] fishbone@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 5 months ago

And here I thought someone was just saying they like path of exile.

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[-] gimsy@feddit.it 39 points 5 months ago

If only there was a solution, I don't know, a cable resistent to jamming the ether, something we could call ether-jamming-resistant-network, in short Ethernet

I know... I am just dreaming :-P

[-] Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee 20 points 5 months ago

It's easy to write snarky comments like this, but the truth is running cables isn't easy, and in some cases simply not possible, at least if you don't want the cable simply draped over the outside of the house.

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[-] TheObviousSolution@lemm.ee 37 points 5 months ago

I wish that apps notified you when your camera has been unreachable for too long, but at least that's a hint that a jammer may have been involved. Cameras won't stop them, but a the best setups would rely on wires and hidden local and cloud storage for recordings and alerts.

[-] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 10 points 5 months ago

A numbers of cameras tell the user when they go offline, but yeah, a lot do not. I have a HomeKit system that sends an alert when WiFi or power has been interrupted to the camera or the primary hub.

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[-] thanks_shakey_snake@lemmy.ca 32 points 5 months ago

before getting away with swag bags full of valuables

So just look for the guy who looks like he's just been to four different network admin conferences?

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[-] credo@lemmy.world 32 points 5 months ago

However, jammers are illegal to use in the U.S.

What is the point of adding this bit for an article about burglaries?

[-] AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 31 points 5 months ago

They should make burglaries illegal too!

[-] douglasg14b@lemmy.world 15 points 5 months ago

Because it's relevant? Is this not factual information that readers may or may not have known?

The availability of hardware changes by a not-negligent degree based on the legality of acquiring it.

Curious readers likely find information indicating that these shouldn't be readily available at your local big box store to be pertinent information.

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[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 10 points 5 months ago

They're extra illegal!!!

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[-] FlashZordon@lemmy.world 31 points 5 months ago

Worked at an old job where one guy, that had access to the router settings, would disable the Blink Cameras so he could forge his time cards.

Owners ended up realizing the cameras would only be disabled when he was on shift.

[-] ShepherdPie@midwest.social 9 points 5 months ago

I worked at Walmart ages ago and one of the overnight assistant managers would do this and then steal cash out of the cash office until he finally got caught.

[-] jabathekek@sopuli.xyz 23 points 5 months ago

That screen capture looks like the beginning of a rap video.

[-] solsangraal@lemmy.zip 21 points 5 months ago

i know nothing; would a hardwired connection from the cameras to the router solve this?

[-] kusivittula@sopuli.xyz 25 points 5 months ago

yes, assuming the cables are inaccessible from outside. otherwise it would be easy to cut them.

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[-] habitualTartare@lemmy.world 9 points 5 months ago

Yes but the camera should be in a place that can't be physically tampered with easily since someone could theoretically unplug the camera and plug into your home network and see all your computers or other devices as if they had stolen your WiFi password. A small risk but it's better to hardwire it somewhere they would need a ladder to get to or get a camera system that connects to a central box inside the house.

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[-] jpreston2005@lemmy.world 17 points 5 months ago

This is one of those things I thought would always remain firmly within the realm of science fiction. Watching movies and reading books growing up, movies like "The Matrix" and books like "Snow Crash" and "Neuromancer," I'd always be fascinated with high tech burglary. The idea that one could intercept communications, jam frequencies, or anything of the like, always just seemed a bit too out of reach for modern day criminals. And yet, here we are.

[-] Damage@slrpnk.net 24 points 5 months ago

A jammer is less sophisticated than a crowbar. It's not like the burglar designs it themselves. Nor are they hacking your network to gain access, they just shut everything down.

[-] thanks_shakey_snake@lemmy.ca 16 points 5 months ago

It's actually not that high-tech... Like jamming a wifi signal is basically like just shouting over someone to prevent them from speaking (or at least from being heard). To make one from scratch, you need a little bit of technical prowess, but it's definitely a beginner project... But to use one, you literally just turn it on, and maybe choose a frequency. They're widely available and cheap.

There are pretty cool sophisticated digital crimes out there though, so take heart!

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[-] xantoxis@lemmy.world 11 points 5 months ago

Sick, where do I get those jammers?

I'm not gonna rob anyone, I just don't want cameras working nearby me.

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[-] NauticalNoodle@lemmy.ml 11 points 5 months ago

If a burglar is using a wifi-jammers then the basic consumer is not going to be able to stop said burglar. Basic consumer security products aren't designed to do anything more than keep honest people honest. It's much harder & more expensive to prevent a determined criminal from gaining entry and would likely require rethinking housing construction from the foundation up.

[-] Venator@lemmy.nz 10 points 5 months ago

Its also to help police with investigations. POE cameras and doorbells won't have this specific weakness, they'll probably still get in and steal all your valuables, but if they think thier wifi jammer is working you might get some footage thats useful for the cops...

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[-] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 9 points 5 months ago

In my big American metro area, the burglars usually mask up and roll in with swapped plates, a car they stole, or a car they got off a Kia boy for $100-$200. They’re tough to catch in the act or identify with video surveillance, even with a new hardwired or pre-WiFi hardwired system.

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[-] pelletbucket@lemm.ee 9 points 5 months ago

back in the day, the trick was to cut the phone line, then shove the cut wire back in the phone box. wait for the police to come and see that there's nothing wrong, then you go and burgle.

[-] Crisps@lemmy.world 9 points 5 months ago

They’d be starving after waiting for 3 days.

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this post was submitted on 20 Jul 2024
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