How Safe is Digital Lock in Singapore?

Digital locks have increasingly become popular in Singapore in the recent past. Since the arrival of Yale in 2005, the door lock technology is improving at a fast pace. There are different companies offering door locks in Singapore now considering the demand is also growing. It is becoming a necessity for a 21st century home. Additionally, digital locks have a place where the allocation of keys and cards is unpractical.

Unfortunately, given that this is a digital tool, it faces technological risk. One may worry if the system is easy to hack. Moreover, users may wonder if the lock is safe in general. As such, it is for the greater good to be aware of how much safety does this gadget guarantee the user in Singapore.

Digital lock safety

One of the main reason people purchase digital locks is convenience. You will forget your keys at work but still access your home using your thumb or a security pin. Unfortunately, you face a few risks which are still very manageable. For instance, there is a risk of failure in case of a power outage. Depending on the power source of the lock, the lock may fail to function if there is power, which can be a problem.

Additionally, there is the risk of hacking. Given that door locks are electric gadgets which are sometimes net-enabled, hacking is one significant risk. According to Professor Stuart Madnick, most hacked door locks are as a result of carelessness. One of the major mistakes is using plain text passwords. Fortunately, most companies noticed the Bluetooth vulnerability. As such, they added an extra layer of protection by including the WIFI. One can, therefore, manage the digital lock remotely over the WiFi. Additionally, if the lock’s knock sensor notices a trigger, you receive an alert on your phone.

Another issue is when the digital lock has a connection to your phone. There is a risk that you could lose your phone to persons with interests to break into your home. While such a problem is manageable, it is nevertheless a risk to be cautious about if you value security. Some digital lock brands in Singapore require sensing your phone to unlock. Additionally, some digital lock models have a provision for the phone to change the door lock codes. Such an arrangement can be disastrous since it paves the way for criminal activities. Once the criminal has access to your phone and changes all the door lock codes, then you will not know how you are losing property until it is too late.

Again, when the digital lock depends on the phone, there is a challenge of firmware updates. Sometimes a company may execute an update that may cause a malfunction. In that case, the company may need you to return the door locks for correction.

Moreover, there is a risk of lock removal. A flathead screwdriver can remove the lock very quickly. It is therefore advisable to use the traditional lock as a backup.

While all the above are reasons why digital locks are not safe, it does not mean that they are entirely undependable. They are essential in this century. Given that you can open the door from whichever place in the house you are in using an app, this is top notch technological advancement. Again, some digital locks can use voice and face recognition technology. As such, there is no way unauthorized persons can access your property.

Conventional lock v/s digital lock

Additionally, the digital lock manufacturers are keen on all criminal reports. Every model produced is better in terms of security and usability. There are cloud-based digital door locks that have inbuilt sensors. They can sense unusual movements and alert the owner via phone. Some can also capture the image of the intruder. In other words, break-ins are manageable with the advancements in technology.

There is no doubt; digital locks are just as good as the traditional locks. The only ability that they have over conventional locks is convenience. Otherwise, security is dependent on the user. Moreover, the manufacturers are doing their best to provide quality. More precisely, once you have a digital lock, you have convenience and security at the same time. With a traditional lock, you only get protection.