Is Wireless Worth the Risk?

There are two major trends in surveillance cameras today – both wireless and IP cameras are making huge gains in sales.  The appeal is very simple – they are incredibly easy to install as they don't require one to trail wires.  However, many customers are not aware of how incredibly easy it is to compromise these wireless signals.

At issue is something called the ISM band.  2.4ghz cordless phones, baby monitors, wireless G networks, wireless G IP cameras, and most commercially available wireless cameras operate within the confines of the ISM band.  Without getting too heavy into physics, pretend that the ISM band is a freeway.  If too many cars clog up the freeway, nobody goes anywhere.  Radio signals operate on this same idea – if you have too many signals clogging up this narrow band, signals will not get through to the source. 

So what does this mean to security professionals, retailers and others interested in setting up closed circuit television surveillance systems?  Quite simply, if somebody wants to take down your entire system all that he or she has to do is flood the ISM band with white noise!  This sounds difficult but in practice it is actually quite simple.  If you spend some time on the internet, you can find schematics on how to build your own 2.4 ghz white noise generator that will render any wireless devices within range completely useless.  Anyone with a very basic knowledge of electronics can build their own.  The less technically astute can hop online and buy their very own frequency jammers for around $600 Canadian.  These jammers will wipe out any device that operates at 2.4ghz within 10 metres.  Even video game systems have on occasion been reported to take out a wireless signal click here for article.

Imagine that you own a pawn shop in a high crime area.  You are worried about your employees' safety, so you decide to install a closed circuit television system, thinking that it will deter crime.  You would like to save some time on the install, so you decide to go wireless.  It sounds so good, doesn't it?  But remember, criminals are smart.  An astute criminal with a laptop and an application that analyzes the wireless spectrum for activity will quickly discover that your cameras are wireless.  If he or she wants to rob the pawn shop and possibly harm the employees inside, all that he or she has to do is spend $600, wait a few weeks for delivery, then gain complete access to your store knowing full well that none of your cameras are working. 

For years, smart people within the surveillance industry have been saying that it is easier to compromise a wired system than a wireless system.  However, we disagree with this assertion.  In order to compromise a properly set up wired system, one must gain access to the premises and start cutting wires.  If your system is set up properly, you will get this person on camera while he or she is doing the cutting.  This is in contrast to wireless cameras, which can be compromised before the criminal even enters the premises. 

Do the math – is it worth the risk?