"Your landlord turns your apartment into a smart home. Now what?" - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: cdev
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2019, 08:58:50 pm
content: "Your landlord turns your apartment into a smart home. Now what?: Locked out on the first day. New privacy worries. It's the upgrade many tenants didn't ask for".https://www.cnet.com/news/your-landlord-turns-your-apartment-into-a-smart-home-now-what/Reading this I thought to myself, this should be illegal. Its definitely an invasion of privacy.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2019, 09:13:33 pm
content: If this, or something similar, happened to me I would immediately be making plans to move elsewhere. Assuming it couldn't be disabled that is.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2019, 09:14:20 pm
content: Thankfully tenants have more rights to what they rent in many places, which means they can undo all of this. They may have to replace the smart stuff when they leave, leaving it in the original "smart" configuration.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 07, 2019, 09:37:12 pm
content: Anyone who installs or configures an access control system without a redundancy plan such as mechanical key access is a moron, and any resident who thinks that their pin code, prox tag, remote control or app is a guarantee of access is a fool.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2019, 09:50:58 pm
content: Quote from: Muttley Snickers on March 07, 2019, 09:37:12 pmI don't think redundancy is even the biggest worry. It's who has access to a system with many more moving parts, many of which invisible to the tenant.

author: Ranayna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2019, 11:03:19 pm
content: The biggest problem with those keyless entry system is, that if they are hacked, there will be no trace at all. When a cloned card is used, it looks for all intents and purposes like the original card.Yes, most conventional locks can very easily be picked, but that almost always leaves some traces. Yes, crappy physical keys can be copied from a photo, but who waves his keys around to get them photographed? Crappy RFID can be copied from quite some distance without even having to see the card.What happens when there is no evidence at all for a break in? Your insurance does not pay.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2019, 11:10:04 pm
content: Quote from: Ranayna on March 07, 2019, 11:03:19 pmYou can't lock out your landlord either, which is permissible in a fair amount of places.

author: wilfred
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2019, 11:22:17 pm
content: "Smart homes offer benefits to both landlords and tenants. Property managers can monitor activity reducing waste, while also charging higher rent, and tenants have a convenient way to get into their homes and to control their lights and the room temperature. With landlords managing it, they don't have to buy expensive internet-of-things devices on their own. "Anyone who thinks people want increased rent so they don't have to buy IoT toys is insane. And anyone who prefers to trust landlords and property managers to manage things is living in a fools paradise.Honestly how hard is it to get a key from your pocket and flick a light switch and press a button on the room heater which is already set to the temperature you choose years ago.The biggest problem with pin code access is controlling who has it.

author: cdev
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 12:34:45 am
content: What happens when the power goes out for several days at a time, or even longer? That happens sometimes, after earthquakes, big storms, etc.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 12:37:57 am
content: Quote from: cdev on March 08, 2019, 12:34:45 amtry to get influence insurance companies to consider a 5 day power outage a act of god

author: sokoloff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 12:43:11 am
content: Quote from: Ranayna on March 07, 2019, 11:03:19 pmAround here, you file a police report, no one comes out to even look to see whether or not there’s evidence, and insurance pays. Filing a false police report is a fairly serious offense, probably more serious than insurance fraud, so insurance pays out.

author: ConKbot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 08:42:31 am
content: Make an ESD gun, do a bit of reliability testing, to make sure the equipment is up to my personal standards.Unrelated; you can get doorknob caps in the 30-40kv, single digit nF range right?

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 10:03:37 am
content: Quote from: ConKbot on March 08, 2019, 08:42:31 amSimpler to buy one that is suitable for "dual purposes", e.g. a Zerostat. Mine is half a lifetime old now, but I used to be able to get a 1cm spark from it.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 11:47:05 am
content: Quote from: wilfred on March 07, 2019, 11:22:17 pmI've said it before and I'll say it again: A truly smart home is not how many IoT gadgets you can stuff into it, rather proper placement and implementation of things like light switches, dimmers, timers etc...There is absolutely no reason why a refrigerator or air conditioner needs to be connected to the internet.

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 12:12:28 pm
content: Definitely Agree with Halcyon, The smartest house you can have is one that does exactly what you expect when you interact with it.Approach a door, either I have a key or some other security token, Upon presenting a correct token it should unlock, Independent if the house has power or internet, there should still be a means to unlock it, that can easily be memorized of kept on your person,If I have to pull out a phone or other device, Its not smart, its just UI development cost shuffling, If it cannot perform its functions without a server connection, its already a red flag,Far too many of these smart devices just leave me with the question: "OK, But how does this benefit me?", Mixed in with, "why do I need to agree to data-mining for third parties for X device"

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 04:08:43 pm
content: Raises interesting questions, and probably not clearly handled in current legislations as of yet.I think this kind of transformation should de facto invalidate the lease - you didn't sign up for this as the renter. Which would not really help anyway unless you have another housing opportunity and this would be your easy way out. So probably not much you can do but move out as fast as you can. I do suggest that new leases include specific clauses about this, as this goes beyond simple equipment IMO. Of course if nothing specific is mentioned, the landlord can probably just claim it is part of the apartment improvement you can't say no to, just like installing new heaters for instance. This is not the same thing at all IMO, but I'm certain this would easily pass as such for the time being, so you'd be screwed. Maybe some interesting lawsuits ahead.Besides the contractual point of view, "smart home" equipment clearly raises new issues for tenants. Let's assume there is "connected" surveillance alarm equipment (that you can access remotely), or access to any of the controlled equipement such as heating and lighting. The landlord could obviously spy on the tenants without them even knowing, turn off heating, and so on. This would probably be deemed illegal just like physically entering without the tenants' consent, but there would be no way of knowing or proving it (especially in the case of spying).Keyless locks could be considered not really different from conventional locks - landlords can have spare keys and use them to enter without the tenants' consent even if it's usually illegal in many countries.All this obviously benefits more one side than the other.What could be acceptable - not considering the other issues with all this connected crap - is if it was guaranteed by law that ALL access to any of those smart home equipments was exclusive to the tenants while they hold a lease and NEVER to the landlords. Otherwise that opens a can of worms.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 04:24:06 pm
content: Who pays for the Internet connection? The landlord or tenant? If it's the latter and there's nothing in the contract to say they have to have an internet connection, then couldn't they simply cancel the contract with their ISP and use their phone for all Internet access? If they can't get into the flat because of the crappy smart lock, which requires Internet connectivity, then refuse to pay the rent, until the landlord resolves the issue.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 04:33:59 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on March 08, 2019, 04:24:06 pmYes, certainly, just like any other basic equipment that wouldn't work, such as heaters.That said, any "smart lock" that would require internet connectivity to lock or unlock would be so mind-numbingly stupid that I would start doubting the mental sanity of both the landlord and the company that sells those.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 06:01:40 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on March 08, 2019, 04:24:06 pmEven if the landlord pays, the tenant pays in the end.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 10:35:45 pm
content: Quote from: Rerouter on March 08, 2019, 12:12:28 pmThe most ridiculous thing I've seen starting to creep in now is the ability to lock/unlock your car doors with a smart phone "app" (damn I hate that term).So in order for you to enter your car you need to pull your phone (which is already too big and bulky to begin with), unlock it, launch the application, presumably enter another PIN, then hit unlock?What the hell is wrong with an ordinary key fob? Many modern cars these days will communicate with the fob without needing to even take it out of your pocket, you just need to touch any part of the door handle. When I have my hands full of shopping, the last thing I want it to be fumbling around with my phone, which I'll likely drop, it'll smash and I'll get pissed off.Also, my car gives me at least several weeks, if not months of prior warning if my key fob battery is running low. The key is also entirely waterproof and I have two other spares should it fail for some strange reason.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 10:58:46 pm
content: Quote from: Halcyon on March 08, 2019, 10:35:45 pmWireless or proximity key fobs turn out to come with various issues of their own. They're not the best example of a better solution. Thieves breaking into or stealing cars by relaying the signal is a significant issue.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 11:15:49 pm
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on March 08, 2019, 10:58:46 pmSure, but one which can easily be mitigated. i.e.: Don't keep your keys next to the front door where crooks could potentially interrogate them and/or lock your car in a garage.In reality, these sorts of vehicle thefts are few and far between. I think I've seen maybe one or two cases of it in 10 years, yet I couldn't rule out that the owner wasn't in on it (for insurance etc...). In theory, it looks easy. Practically, its just not the MO of 99.9% of car thieves.

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 11:37:07 pm
content: QuoteInternet control over AC and locks is potentially useful if you have a home you rent out, short term, like Air BnB. Or maybe if you travel a lot.

author: ConKbot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 01:05:45 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on March 08, 2019, 10:35:45 pmNot sure about other manufacturers, but on Toyota (and presumably Lexus) if the battery is fully dead, the key in the fob can get you into the car, and using the fob to push the power button (RFID antenna in/around the power button to power the fob) will start the car. Good quality end-user stupidity resistance.Quote from: Mr. Scram on March 08, 2019, 10:58:46 pmThe problem is that anything more involved than proximity or a dedicated fob will be more of a hassle than just using a key. So for a personal residence, unless you keep your keys in a cookie tin to shield from relay atacks. I see zero benefit for anything "smart"/IOT and only minor benefits to a keypad/pin traditional access control system (temporary codes for contractors/house sitters)I love fun tech, but damn is the value proposition for a lot of these toys complete crap. Or just bad hardware that bricks itself when the company gets bored with running the server.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 01:36:59 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on March 08, 2019, 11:15:49 pmThat mitigation is a pain and crooks will refine their methods, which may lead to longer range attacks. Break-ins and thefts using these or other electronic methods are very common across the world. Insurers have denied it for a long time as it allows they to deny claims as vehicles aren't damaged, but it's gotten to the point it's no use denying it any longer.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 02:12:51 am
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on March 09, 2019, 01:36:59 amMoving your keys somewhere else is a pain?Also, crooks aren't that smart. The longer the range, the larger the equipment, the more expensive it is and the more chance of getting caught.It just doesn't happen that way (in Australia). Those who want to steal high-powered vehicles generally use violence or break into houses and take the keys (again, it's very convenient when they are kept at the front door). It's quicker, easier and more effective. Starting a car and driving it away without the key is one thing, but it usually doesn't get you far (and you can't restart the vehicle elsewhere).You and I can sit here and analyse this in all sorts of clever ways, but almost every criminal doesn't or can't due to lack of resources or knowledge. Above all else, criminals can simply exploit your laziness or carelessness to get what they want.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 02:40:48 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on March 09, 2019, 02:12:51 amMoving your keys is a pain. You need to think of it consistently and a mistake can mean a break-in or stolen car. It's not very convenient, which is the very thing these keys attempt to be. Instead of solving a problem, they've created one. Crooks aren't necessarily all smart, but they are organised. A few clever ones build the equipment and the less clever ones buy and employ it. Much like how developing malware has become a mature industry. People underestimate how much crime is an industry like almost any other. Australian wildlife may be different, but I doubt Australian crime is. Relay attacks are a worldwide problem now that cheaper cars are fitted with keyless entry systems too. Apparently legal maintenance tools are also used to circumvent the security measures of tools.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 03:54:17 am
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on March 09, 2019, 02:40:48 amI still don't see how moving your keys from the front door to a drawer in your kitchen is such a big ordeal? It just involves a slight shift in habits. Sure, you might go to the front door the first few times until you remember "that's not where I keep them now".I think you give criminals more credit than they deserve. Very few are organised. Most street-level crooks are opportunistic and are usually after one thing: Money (or something they can quickly and easily exchange for money). They don't have the knowledge or the cash to go spend on elaborate devices to steal cars. It simply doesn't happen. I would say a good 75% of crooks I've locked up in my time are drug addicts who are either looking for their next hit or are so off their face from their last hit, they have no idea what they are doing.Then you have the other end of town, your "organised" criminals. They are they ones with money behind them. They don't normally go around stealing cars because they know it's too easy to get caught.I would say every car which had been stolen and I've personally "recovered" (either intact or burnt out) involved one or more sets of keys known to be missing.Remember that issue with Jeep (if I recall correctly) being vulnerable to control via it's built-in WiFi network? Outside of a controlled environment, when have you seen this actually occur?You'll find the stats (if they exist) relating to key fob manipulation to be extremely low. If I had to guess, probably well under 0.5% based on my experience. Don't believe what you read in the media, those kinds of methods are generally not seen "in the wild". Theoretically, sure, it's possible, but it just doesn't happen.Don't get me wrong, I'm not downplaying the importance of security, especially as modern cars are so elaborate. But security is not the most important aspect of vehicle engineering, the safety of the occupants and pedestrians is.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 05:46:06 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on March 09, 2019, 03:54:17 amIt's not about moving your keys being doable. It's about creating a problem instead of solving one. Needing to lock away your keys in a Faraday cage is generally more trouble than just using a regular key fob. Of course you're going to catch the low hanging criminal fruit. Those are the junkies and other street scum. The organised ones are a lot harder to catch. You don't steal a car unless you're either stupid and didn't think things through or if you know what to do with it, which means transporting it to and selling it in another country or stripping the parts and selling those. The latter will have a network and can get their hands on whatever tools they need. Cars are also regularly stolen to be used in major crimes like bank robberies and assassinations. Those are well planned and executed crimes. Organised crime groups can manipulate ATM machine on a significant scale and this isn't harder to do. Security is required for safety. An insecure car isn't as safe as it should be for various reasons."A new, sophisticated - and silent - way to steal ‘keyless’ cars in just 60 seconds is fuelling a huge rise in thefts in Greater Manchester. The method involves using two relatively-cheap devices to ‘trick’ a vehicle into thinking its entry fob is nearby. It is suspected of contributing to a 44 per cent increase in car theft in the region in recent years - twice the national average."https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/keyless-car-relay-theft-advice-14496158

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 05:52:08 am
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on March 09, 2019, 05:46:06 amThe vast majority of vehicles are stolen by "low hanging fruit" (even when organised crime gangs are involved). The thing is, vehicles, when they go missing, are easily noticed, if not immediately, within several hours after. No one has their car stolen and doesn't notice. It gets flagged pretty much right away, or even if it doesn't it pops up somewhere driving erratically or is involved in some other more serious offence.Which is why I'm saying these sophisticated exploits, whilst they exist, are rare... very rare.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 06:04:49 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on March 09, 2019, 05:52:08 amThey're not. It's not a sophisticated exploit, it's a relatively simple attack once you know how. You just need the equipment. It's more convenient and less risky than needing to break into a house to get the keys. A stolen car is easily hidden in plain sight with false plates, although more elaborate schemes are used too. I know people who've had their belongings stolen from their car or the actual car stolen repeatedly and they hadn't forgotten to lock the car or had their keys stolen. For a long time people weren't aware of what was happening, they were just confronted with mysterious car thefts and break-ins. In hindsight it's obvious a lot of these cases were probably relay attacks.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 09:33:59 am
content: Sorry; those points are poor...Quote from: Halcyon on March 08, 2019, 11:15:49 pmI keep the keys in my pocket. That would imply I can't be near my front door nor sit in my living room (which is a yard or so from my car).QuoteFrom that we can tell you don't read theveryhigh signal-to-noise ratio comp.risks. It ought to be required reading for anybody involved with technology.Fortunately the searchable archive (going back to 1985!) is available at:https://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/QuoteOh dear, another person that believes personal experience is more important than aggregated experience and history. I'll refrain from mentioning groups that share that attitude.The insurance industrydoesjump atanyexcuse to avoid a payout. Why give them a newand unnecessaryexcuse?

author: IanMacdonald
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 12:24:20 pm
content: Well, if the Greens have their way we'll all be living under Big Brother, with smart meters logging every use of an appliance.As for vehicle security, my van has a module built into the injection pump which prevents the engine being started if a RFID in the key isn't present. The issues I see with this is that a fault could leave me stranded in a remote place, and in Scotland in the winter that can be no joke. Meanwhile it really provides no extra security since if the thief has the key he can start the engine.Another less than ideal arrangement is radios which require the key to be left in. I wonder how many cars are stolen simply because the key has been left in to allow the radio to play whilst stopped.A far better arrangement is a simple hidden switch. If the thief doesn't know where the switch is he's not going to spend time trying to find it. A previous car had a numeric pad into which you entered a PIN on opening the car, before starting. This again was a much better security measure because the thief who has acquired a key doesn't want to hang around in case he is caught. Once he spots the extra security, or finds the engine won't run, he's likely to depart empty-handed. The problem is that convenience is the overriding factor in the design of these systems, and it's got to the point where saving one or two seconds is more important, in the manufacturer's view, than preventing theft. Since a stolen car can result in a fatality (Many thieves being drunks looking for a way home after bus hours) maybe they ought to rethink on this.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 12:54:10 pm
content: Quote from: IanMacdonald on March 09, 2019, 12:24:20 pmThere are (or will be when the infrastructure is in place) sound technical reasons for a smart grid, especially load shedding at peak times. Think of it as being the old "economy 7 tariff" on steroids.The major problems with smart meters are nothing to do with "logging every use of an appliance". The problem is that remote disconnection could be done by malefactors or because of faulty information in databases.QuoteFrom the aforementioned comp.riskshttps://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/30/09#subj1.1and an example of why everybody on this forum should read it...Quote

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 01:03:02 pm
content: Just a point with the Tesla Keyless function. If you RTFM it tells you the limitation and that it’s not a substitute for carrying the keyfob.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 03:44:22 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on March 09, 2019, 01:03:02 pmI don't doubt itTs&Cs are routinelyabused to shift the blame from the corporations onto thevictimslosers.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 04:08:16 pm
content: Idiots you mean

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 04:31:06 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on March 09, 2019, 04:08:16 pmYes and no.We all make mistakes. I don't like things thatunnecessarilyencourage me (or others) to makenoveltypes of mistake.Enabling state-based malefactors or the idiots responsible for Crapita's / Atos's database implementation or data to cut off my electricity does not amuse me.

author: electromotive
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 05:37:06 pm
content: Locks provide theillusion of security. If someone wants inside your house, it's not hard.Here comes the science.....Suppose a coworker wants to break into your home... All they have to do is have a picture of your house key. Flash it for a second... leave it at your desk.... whatever... a fairly crappy picture will work just fine. Common manufacturers have established tolerances for their biting patterns, some even have those biting pattens stamped into the key (the numbers on it). Give me a half decent picture of a key, even at an angle, and I can have the biting pattern figured out and a new key made inside of 5 or 10 minutes.But wait, there's more.....If I could get your fingerprint (or lift one) I could basically etch useable fingerprint caps. They'd go over my finger, but give your print. It was covered in 2600: The Hacker Quarterly a few years ago.Still not done....If I want your vehicle, I can not only *get* it through a variety of means, but I can get it re-vin'd and a legitimate title relatively easily. Onstar? Not a problem. Drove away in a new Corvette to prove a point to my friend who swore his vette was untouchable.

author: IDEngineer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 06:00:04 pm
content: It occurs to me that if a bunch of new tech was frequently and repeatedly, ahem,unreliable, eventually the landlord would tire of dealing with it and return to decades-old, proven solutions.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 08:51:54 pm
content: Quote from: wilfred on March 07, 2019, 11:22:17 pmQuite a lot of people don't make the connection. They want amenities, they like "free" stuff, even if they are in reality paying for it in their rent. It's not logical but you can see it happen all over the developed world, every day. Unfortunately this means that people like me who don't want to pay more to get amenities I don't need or want don't have much choice.I'm very glad that I own my house at least so I don't have this particular stuff foisted upon me. I like technology when it makes my life easier, but a lot of this "smart" home stuff is just technology for the sake of technology and creates more problems than it solves.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 09:36:57 pm
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on March 08, 2019, 06:01:40 pmYou've missed the point. If the tenant pays for the Internet directly, rather than the landlord, then they have control of whether the flat is connected to the Internet or not. They could easily terminate their contract with their ISP and use their phone's 3G. It would work out more expensive, but disable any smart shit.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 11:20:22 pm
content: Quote from: tggzzz on March 09, 2019, 09:33:59 amSorry, but no they aren't. You might want to go re-read why I've written. It seems as though you've missed what I was saying entirely.Quote from: electromotive on March 09, 2019, 05:37:06 pmAbsolutely. People (crooks included) are going to use easy methods, rather than complicated ones. You could have the best locks in the world, but it's no match for a broken window.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2019, 11:43:33 pm
content: Quote from: Halcyon on March 09, 2019, 11:20:22 pmPeople might like to read what we both wrote, but you havechosento make that difficult by snipping it.. and replacing it with the fragments from a different response below....Quote

author: sokoloff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2019, 01:41:00 am
content: Quote from: Zero999 on March 09, 2019, 09:36:57 pmWhy not just filter whatever traffic you don't want to egress or ingress on the router?

author: IDEngineer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2019, 02:13:21 am
content: Quote from: sokoloff on March 10, 2019, 01:41:00 amYou beat me to it. If the renter is paying for the Internet connection, then they should have control of the equipment and this becomes as easy as a MAC address filter in the access point. I'd be tempted to let it work for a short time, then filter it out, wait for the landlord to complain about things not working, then randomly enable it again for a day or two before disabling it again, lather rinse repeat. Eventually the landlord will tire of "this stupid new garbage" and revert back to the good solutions that didn't interrupt his own life all the time.If the landlord is paying for the Internet, your options are fewer but judicious and random use of aluminum foil around the offending devices when at home could yield the same erratic, annoying, unpredictable behavior that helps guide the landlord to the proper end result. All the more so if the "events" happen late at night and on weekends and he's got some sort of notification going. He'll soon tire of the constant interruptions.

author: IDEngineer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2019, 02:17:50 am
content: QuoteQuotePrecisely. People often forget the real basis of "security". There's one fundamental rule: Make your stuff harder to access than the other guy's stuff. That's all you can do. If someone is dead-set on getting into YOUR house, or taking YOUR stuff specifically, there's really very little you can (legally) do to stop them. They can always break a window, as you say. So the key is to raise the barriers to entry for YOUR stuff. Alarms, dogs, layout of house, etc. can all raise the threshold compared to your neighbors. Criminals are like politicians (in fact, that is itself redundant) - they look for the easy target. Simply make sure YOUR house and YOUR stuff aren't as easy as your neighbors and you've addressed 95% of the security question.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2019, 12:01:38 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on March 09, 2019, 09:36:57 pmI got that. People just tend to misunderstand who really is paying for something. Chances are a lot of thing won't work if you just disconnect everything, though.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2019, 12:05:22 pm
content: Quote from: electromotive on March 09, 2019, 05:37:06 pmLocks in whatever form are mostly a legal boundary. Cross that line and you're in a fair bit of legal trouble. Of course, having a tougher lock than your neighbour helps, but if someone decides he wants entry there's little you can do about it.Did you ever notice how fences are rarely designed to actually keep people out? They're a way of politely asking to stay on the other side, or less politely if it's a more menacing fence. A lot of fences are easily stepped over. The only fences truly meant to keep people on one side are prison fences and those aren't a common sight.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2019, 04:21:52 pm
content: Quote from: electromotive on March 09, 2019, 05:37:06 pmTrue, but that's only half the story...Locks turn "entering" into "breaking and entering", which is a more serious criminal offence.Even theillusion of lockscan be effective at increasing security: they bias perps towards going elsewhere. I won't bore you with the effectiveness of dummy burglar alarms!

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 10, 2019, 10:54:23 pm
content: Quote from: tggzzz on March 10, 2019, 04:21:52 pmSometimes (and of course depending on local laws). In Australia, a lock or any type of additional physical security isn't require to satisfy the element of "breaking" in a Break and Enter offence.All that is required is that the "seal" of a building, room, garage, etc... has been broken. That could simply mean the opening of an unlocked door or window to enter or exit a dwelling.There are also provisions in legislation that allow criminals to face similar penalties if there wasn't a "break" at all, for example: You leave your front door wide open or you invite someone in, but while inside, they steal something. To go one step further, the crook doesn't even need to steal anything, they just needed to have the intent to "commit an indictable offence".