Can Garage Door Openers Be Hacked?

When you think of criminal hacks, your mind may jump to online fraud or banking system hacks, rather than the humble garage door opener. However, now more homes than ever are installing automated garage doors, it’s important to be vigilant to the dangers of garage door hacking as this can mean your home is vulnerable to a break-in. But how can a garage door opener be hacked?

Luckily, the team at Access Garage Doors is here to answer all of your questions.

How do hackers gain access to a garage door opener? 

Most automated garage doors are operated by remote control, offering access to your garage at the touch of a button. Whilst this may seem complicated, it’s really just a radio transmission system; whenever you use your remote, the transmitter sends a code to the receiver which will be tuned to the same frequency. There are two types of code that a garage door opener can use:

• Fixed code: With a fixed code, the code of the garage door opener and the door will remain the same unless reprogrammed.

• Rolling code: A rolling code is entirely unique and changes frequently. Rolling code systems also use challenge-response; this occurs when your remote sends a signal to your garage door, which then sends a reply. This reply will then be analysed by your remote to ensure it is correct.

If your automated garage door is an older model that is equipped with a fixed code system, it will be much more vulnerable to hacking. As fixed code is static, a potential hacker could use a device called a code grabber to break into your garage. If placed near your garage door, a code grabber can be used to record the fixed code of your garage door opener. This means that an intruder now essentially has a copy of your garage door remote. Needless to say, a garage door that uses rolling code is much harder to hack.

How can you prevent your garage door opener from being hacked?

There are several steps you can take to severely reduce the chance of your garage door opener being hacked:

• Keep your garage door remote safe: Some criminals may prefer to break into your garage the old-fashioned way and attempt to steal your garage door remote. It should be hidden in a safe place or kept on your person to prevent theft.

• Update your garage door: If your automated garage door is an older model that still uses fixed code, upgrading to a newer door that uses rolling code will severely reduce the chance of a hack. With more than 100 billion possible codes, a code grabber can no longer be used to gain access to your garage.

• Regular maintenance and servicing: It’s important to have your automatic garage door periodically inspected by a professional. By carrying out regular servicing and maintenance work, any issues with your garage door can be identified at an early stage before they worsen.

• Consult a professional: If you’re still concerned about whether your automated garage door is vulnerable to attack, consult a trusted garage door company like Access Garage Doors for help. We can assess the security of your garage door and provide advice on whether you may require an upgrade. Furthermore, if you’ve lost your garage door remote, we can order a replacement remote and get your system reprogrammed.

Here at Access Garage Doors, we supply and install a range of modern automatic garage doors to homes across Huddersfield, Halifax, Leeds, and the wider West Yorkshire region. Every garage door we have available is of the highest quality and is sure to provide lasting protection to your home. 

Get in touch with us today to discuss our selection of automatic garage doors, or visit our Bradford showroom and see our products in person.