Can Garage Door Openers Be Hacked?

Garage door openers not only serve as a helpful assistant when you want to get in and out of your garage, but they also keep the door secure and prevent burglars from getting in easily.

As a garage door company, we’ve been asked, ” Can garage door openers be hacked?” And the answer is YES, garage door openers can be hacked. But before you freak out, you should understand that even Tesla and most government websites have been hacked before. The truth is, anything can be hacked, it all depends on what’s at stake and who’s the hacker.

The easiest way to hack your garage door opener is by implementing a HackRF Replay Attack.
The criminals can use a special device to record your garage door remotes signal and then transmit the signal to open your garage door. However, it’s easier said than done. This technique will only work with static code devices, which usually are pretty old garage door openers.
The hacker will have to be in close proximity when your remote transmits the signal.

Fixed Code Garage Door Openers Can Be Hacked Easily.

Garage door openers manufactured before 1993 were equipped with a dip switch code selector, meaning they used a static code for the operation. As a result, those are vulnerable to a replay attack.

However, after 1993, most garage door opener manufacturers switched to rolling code technology, meaning the code will change every time you press the button on your remote. It’s worth mentioning that some commercial garage door openers still use this system and are vulnerable to this attack.

What is Security+2.0?

In 1996, Chamberlain introduced its Security+ system, which provided even more peace of mind to homeowners across the globe. Leading garage door opener manufacturers don’t compromise on security, therefore they always innovate and release regular updates. At the moment, the most advanced is the Security+2.0 by Chamberlain and Liftmaster, making them some of the most secure garage door openers on the market.

How easy is it to hack a rolling code garage door opener?

Hacking into a garage door opener secured by rolling code technology is a difficult task. There are millions of possible combinations, and one would need a very expensive and advanced technology to pull it off. Instead, there’s a much easier way for the criminals to get inside your garage, which doesn’t involve hacking your garage door opener.

Stolen garage door remote.

Instead of trying to hack into your garage door opener, criminals usually prefer to do it the old-school way. If you leave your garage door remote inside your vehicle, you’re asking for trouble. As a garage door repair company, we have dozens of calls every month with the same story. “Someone broke into my vehicle and stole my garage door remote.”
Here’s what will happen. First, they will follow you back home to figure out where you live, and if you don’t reset the opener code, they will use your remote to get in once you leave the house. Therefore as soon as you realize you’re missing an opener remote, call your local garage door company and get them to reset your opener codes immediately. This will render the stolen remote useless, and your home will be safe.

Can someone hack my garage door keypad?

Trying to hack a keypad is a bad idea and a waste of time, as all it does is transmit the signal to your garage door opener. What can happen, though, is the criminal can guess your keypad PIN if you’re not careful about it. If you use your date or year of birth as a PIN code, you ask for trouble. The four keys will look worn out when you use the same combination for years, while the rest will be in better shape. It will make it much easier to guess the combination of your garage door keypad. As a precaution, make sure you change the PIN frequently and do not use your year or date of birth as a code. Read this article to find out whether garage door keypads are safe or not?

Cloning Garage Door Remote.

Do not let anyone else use your garage door remote if you want to keep your house secured. Some universal garage door remotes have the “clone function,” meaning someone can copy your remote if they have access to it. We have an article on how to program a garage door remote from another remote, so read it if you have a chance and educate yourself on the matter.

Conclusion.

With more and more old dip switch garage door openers getting replaced with new units, the instances of hacking residential garage door openers are extremely rare. As a homeowner, you need to pay more attention to the maintenance and proper operation of your garage door in order to keep everyone safe.

Make sure you don’t leave your garage door remotes exposed inside your vehicle.
Call a local garage door company and get them to reset your opener if you lose your remote.
Change the keypad code regularly to protect your home.
If your garage door opens up unexpectedly, hire a garage door company to investigate.

For most homeowners, their garage door became the main entrance to their house, and therefore they over-use it without paying attention to basic safety procedures. Make sure your garage door is getting inspected by a professional on a regular basis.