Clever Geek Handbook

Smart locks: what they are, how they work (and who installs)





In the good old series about space, like Star Trek, people completely lacked paranoia. Why? They all used smart locks. The hero approaches the door - and it opens. Right through the sci-fi analogue of Face ID. Now smart locks already exist and work. We tell in more detail about the types of smart locks, pitfalls and specific devices.



For paranoid



A lock and key are needed to prevent honest people from entering your house.







When it comes to smart locks, many switch to the mode of complete distrust of new technology (on Habré too) . The iron door and the iron key remain for our man an infallible security totem. Meanwhile, an ordinary castle does not guarantee it.



A skilled cracker opens the lock with a master key in 10 minutes. In practice, the criminal is not even interested in the door, but in the plastic window or balcony on the lower floors, because they are easy to open from the outside. According to Rossiiskaya Gazeta, in Moscow in 2018, 1.5 thousand apartment thefts were recorded. Dangerous districts - South, East, Northeast. The dangerous time is summer and New Year's holidays, when the owners are not at home. There is a positive trend: since 2016, a decrease in registered apartment thefts has been observed in the capital. However, they do happen, and ten mechanical locks on the door do not save.



A smart lock differs only in the way it interacts with the locking mechanism and the bolt (deadbolt). Instead of a physical key - electronic filling and motor. Instead of turning the key, enter the code, put your finger on the scanner or press the button in the application. Conveniently.







But what about the possibility of a hacker breaking into the castle? She really is. In 2016, security specialist Anthony Rose presented a report at Defcon about how he bought 16 smart locks on Amazon and cracked 12 of them using fuzzing, spoofing, and password guessing. Sometimes something worse happens: the company releases an update that turns a smart lock into a regular one.



Glaring situation. Imagine what would happen if for millennia we used deliberately unsafe technology with a well-known method of hacking. For example, a lock, a master key, a crowbar, a hairpin, a good punch, and so on. A device that protects property on the entire planet. Ticking bomb.



If you put aside humor, then the professor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Stuart Madnik described the situation best. Replacing an ordinary lock with a smart one, we change the set of some risks to others, but at the same time we find convenience. “Are you ready to trade your car for a horse?” Asks Madnik. For those who are not ready, Madrobots have curious gadgets.



Universal Smart Locks



Such devices are needed in order to protect the bag, backpack, locker in the fitness club from opening. Traditional place of application: gates in the country. A good touchstone for those who would like to install a smart door lock, but are afraid to take a radical step.



Universal electric lock GLS Bt + F



In Russia, this lock is sold under the brand name Grand lock systems, although it was known as Nokelock in girlhood. Actually, his application is called Nokelock (available for iOS and Android). The main plus: the opening of the fingerprint reader.







GLS Bt + F - a small padlock: 50x78x23 mm, which weighs 50 grams. In front of it is a fingerprint sensor, inside there are a few "brains" and a Bluetooth module with a range of 1 meter. The enclosure has IP65 enclosure protection: the shower will transfer the rain and shower from the garden hose, but not swimming in the well.







The 130 mAh battery is recharged from the microUSB cable. If the lock is discharged, it will start again from any bank.







The lock remembers 16 different fingerprints and can be used by different people. The application records the 1000 most recent uses of the castle. The lock can be opened with your finger or the application (in case the fingerprint is not read).



Universal electric lock GLS Bt



Alternative to GLS Bt + F without fingerprint reader. It is controlled through the same Nokelock application, which connects via Bluetooth. The dimensions of the lock are 50 x 78 x 23 mm, weight - 50 grams. The case protection is the same, IP65.







The lock is powered by a 800 mAh battery and is charged with a microUSB cable. In theory, one charge should be enough for a longer period than a more “smart” fellow.



You can share access to the castle with another person through the application. For GLS Bt + F, this also works.



Smart bike locks



The most suitable way to use smart locks is to protect your bikes from theft. Park the "iron horse" and close the lock with a smartphone. There is no need to mess with the keys, just click the button in the application.



Bicycle electric lock GLS Velolock Bt



This is a cable lock, it fastens the bike to a stationary object with a flexible steel cable with a braid. The cable is 110 centimeters long, 8 millimeters in diameter, and together with the lock it weighs 400 grams. The case is waterproof, IP65 (the main thing is not to drown it in puddles).







The GLS Velolock Bt closes and opens through the Nokelock app. The gadget is connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth. The 800 mAh battery is charged via microUSB.



As with universal padlocks, the app allows you to share access to the castle. No need to give physical keys to anyone: share access, and the right person can open the GLS Velolock Bt and ride a bicycle.







Safety GLS Velolock Bt - the same as other cable locks. It is durable, but with a great desire, the cable will have a bite. At least no one will crack it into an argument, as is the case with combination cable locks. And the gadget will definitely not be opened with a master key.



Bicycle electric lock GLS U-lock Bt



GLS U-lock Bt, as the name implies, is a U-lock. The design is more reliable than that of the cable, because the arc is more difficult to bite. But the castle is heavy and can not be used anywhere, you need a bicycle parking or fence. Which is better is a matter of cyclist preferences.







The arc height of the GLS U-lock Bt is 32.5 centimeters, width - 15 centimeters. The lock is metal and weighs 1.15 kilograms, the case has a protection class of IP65. The battery capacity is 800 mAh, it is charged via microUSB.



GLS U-lock Bt works the same way: install the Nokelock app and connect the lock via Bluetooth to your smartphone. After that, open and close it at the touch of a button, share access with loved ones, keep track of who used the lock.







The model has a traditional key with which it can be opened in case of technical problems or loss of a smartphone with the application.



Smart door locks



These are serious and real locks for doors that work without a physical key. They are opened by a code, a fingerprint and an application in a smartphone. It's comfortable. Children, family members, carers, nannies, tutors, friends, workers - you do not need to make additional keys for everyone or waste time transferring a single spare bunch. Add the right person to the application or come up with a code for him. Sesame will open.



Workers finished repairs, does the child no longer need a nanny? Remove unnecessary profiles, change the code. Unlike the physical, you control the digital key always. If an unscrupulous worker does not have a duplicate key, then the locks do not need to be changed.



Madrobots founder Nikolai Belousov uses Aqara's smart door lock. It was installed by our friends from Clicker. Watch a video about this experience:





Xiaomi Mijia Smart Door Lock: smart door lock with biometrics







This kit consists of a lock and a pair of door handles with a long base. Mijia Smart Door Lock supports six opening methods:





Yes, many smart door locks open with a spare physical key, including the Mijia Smart Door Lock. It has a mechanical part with a cylinder (class C) and a key, which is needed in case of failure of other systems. The keyhole is covered by a round plug. The construction is solid: in theory, if an attacker destroys the front panel, he will still have to fight with the mechanism inside the door.







The Mijia Smart Door Lock case is black with a simple design. The outer half has a glass LED display for entering the code. The device is protected against electromagnetic interference, so that a wise guy with a Tesla coil does not break it. Inside, seven safety sensors are integrated:





Sensors monitor the status of the castle and send notifications of suspicious situations. To do this, you need to connect the lock to the "smart home" Mihome via a Bluetooth gateway. This additional step, among other things, provides access to interesting automation. Say opening a door turns on the lights in the apartment. Great, just like in films about the future!







On the axis of the pen is a fingerprint scanner that can distinguish between real fingerprints and non-living ones. In practice, the scanner sees even wet fingers.



Mijia Smart Door Lock has limitations. The gadget cannot be installed on forged and glass burglar-resistant doors. Plus, he needs enough space: the base area is 365.6 x 75.6 millimeters. Before buying, you need to check that the smart lock will definitely get up.







The lock is powered by eight finger batteries. Standby time is enough for 15 months. The application warns in time when they need to be replaced. In case the inevitable happened and you forgot to change the batteries, the lock can be powered from the outside of the bank through the microUSB input and open the door.



Samsung SHP-DS510: no-frills smart lock



This smart lock works with codes, RF cards and a spare mechanical key. Samsung SHP-DS510 is good because it crashes into a regular cutout with a diameter of 54 mm. The kit includes an electronic part with a larva, spare keys, a bolt and a mating part. There is no handle, but there is a magnetic sensor that determines whether the door is closed. Some smart locks snap on the timer and do not "understand" that the door is specially kept open. The Korean castle understands everything perfectly.







Case material SHP-DS510 - steel, aluminum and polycarbonate. The front touch panel with the display is glass. So that there are no fingerprints left to issue a code, the lock has a “protection” system. The LED display first shows a couple of arbitrary digits that need to be pressed, and then it already includes all the buttons.



A hundred passwords or RF cards can be stored in the lock memory. The length of one password is 4-12 characters. The restriction is indicated by one, according to the thickness of the door: 35–55 millimeters. An important point: there is no application, the lock works independently from the smart home and is configured separately, through the buttons on the display. But he explains what is happening with voice messages and signals. The sound volume is adjustable.





The SHP-DS510 lock is powered by four “finger” batteries, they will last for a year of operation. When the charge starts to run out, a warning appears on the display. If the batteries are empty, the lock can be easily brought back to life by touching the 9V battery to the contacts.



Danalock V3 Bluetooth + Z-wave: minimalist, fashionable, youth



Danalock V3 is a smart lock, which the creators position as the most user-friendly model. It can be installed independently: it fits the size of standard door cutouts, is supplied without a crossbar and an external panel (read more here) . The kit includes: spare keys, cylinder, bolts, pads and part with motor, handle and electronic filling.







The motor turns, opens and closes the door. The casing is made of anodized aluminum. When the lock opens, the LED strip on the case lights up in green. When it closes - red. The lock is powered by four CR123A batteries.







It is assumed that you already have a lock of conventional design. Unscrew it, pull out the cylinder, replace it with the one that comes with Danalock V3. Then replace the accessories on the inside of the door with a housing with a motor. Outside, there remains a keyhole for a mechanical spare key, inside - expensive electronics that will not be destroyed by vandals. In the same way, the popular August Smart Lock is installed. Danalock is his successful competitor.





The key is for emergency. Typically, Danalock V3 opens through a proprietary application on a smartphone. The smartphone connects to the lock via Bluetooth 4.0, and the data is encrypted using the 128 bit AES algorithm. For functioning, it is enough to be in the communication zone. Virtual keys are distributed through the administrator account to other family members or friends. The lock is compatible with Z-Wave based smart home. If you connect the Danalock V3 to the hub, there is wide scope for automation, as well as remote access and alerts about who used the lock and how.



You can purchase all the smart locks described in the article in our online store. Enough to live in the past: it is not safe there, but just uncomfortable.







More articles:


All Articles