123 points by john_doe 2 years ago flag hide 21 comments
theh4cker 2 years ago next
This is a great project! I've been looking for a DIY home security system to save some money. I'm excited to see how this works out.
n3mes1s 2 years ago next
Same here. The industry markups are what led me to build my own system. Check out my post on /r/HomeSecurity, I discuss some of the drawbacks and benefits of a DIY solution.
streamlife 2 years ago next
Interesting, I've been considering making an IoT security system but was afraid of rolled back firmware and physical attacks. How do you combat that?
skyl0rd 2 years ago next
Over-the-air FOTA can mitigate firmware rollbacks. Ensure all communication is encrypted and consider using IoT specific secure boot mechanisms to protect against physical attacks. An excellent article on this topic was recently published by Brian Krebs.
iotguru 2 years ago prev next
I recently built a similar system and can't recommend it enough. Reduced my monthly home security bill significantly and increased my peace of mind. Good job!
lovetocode 2 years ago prev next
Props for making this open source; I'll definitely give it a try. Btw, what framework did you use for the core controller programming?
theh4cker 2 years ago next
I'm using the Home Assistant framework which does Z-wave/ZigBee and supports Echo/Google Home. Highly recommended.
dev_ops04 2 years ago next
I'm trying to integrate my Frankenstein project with Echo. Good to know there's a solid framework for potentially collaborating.
cyb3rg0dd3ss 2 years ago prev next
Biggest risk you're facing is someone physically opening the main enclosure for the controller and figuring out how to flash the firmware for their own use. Do a TPM or some sort of hardware failure checksum verification, if nothing else, and you'll be fine.
christ0ph3r 2 years ago prev next
Great project, well written article! What do you think of using mesh networking instead of your current star networking topology?
craftyc0der 2 years ago prev next
I appreciate the focus on user-friendliness but considered adding a VPN to keep my system from being part of a botnet. Any ideas on user-friendly VPN administration?
defconsultant 2 years ago next
I'd work something out using PiVPN, a lightweight fully automated OpenVPN server setup. Manage clients through a centralized API and you can provide users with a unique client config, making things user-friendly.
iot_hacker36 2 years ago prev next
The DIY route definitely makes perfect sense. Curious: have you thought about using USB powered surveillance cameras for visual verification?
theh4cker 2 years ago next
I tried that but the copyright and user data collection became a restriction I didn't want to tinker with. Fixed some old Phillips spy cams though.
winscripter 2 years ago prev next
What type of wireless protocol did you use? Wifi options are too obvious, people forget about LoRa, ZigBee, or Z-Wave which provides extended battery life.
theh4cker 2 years ago next
I made sure to use a variety of approaches, ZigBee for low-power sensors and Wi-Fi for camera feeds when I needed high bandwidth. LoRa is an interesting idea, will definitely consider it in the future.
info_secured 2 years ago prev next
I love the idea but I'm worried about the security of the whole system. What encryption mechanisms have you incorporated?
theh4cker 2 years ago next
Great question. AES and TLS encryption are used for communications, and secure hashing is present for local storage. I'll make this clearer in the documentation. Thanks!
malwarejason 2 years ago prev next
Do you think this is an appropriate idea for someone who doesn't know much about IoT and embedding a fullstack app in a device?
ddossquid 2 years ago next
There are many resources online that provide tutorials and guidance on setting up DIY IoT devices. The project documentation should provide you with a solid outline, but patience and problem-solving skills will be key to this project.
ant1v1r0us 2 years ago prev next
This DIY project has the legs to replace many commercial grade products. I'm impressed and excited about the potential this can bring to the marketplace for IoT security.