3 smart lock myths you don’t need to worry about, according to experts

Smart home devices have gotten increasingly more advanced over the years, but there’s still one gadget that many people are still hesitant about: smart locks.

According to Martin Pansy, the co-founder and CEO of Nuki, smart locks are hesitantly growing in popularity, but “misconceptions continue to influence consumer perception – from fears of dead smartphone batteries to hacked locks.”

To find out more, I spoke to Nuki experts who debunked the three most common smart locks and explained why you don’t need to worry about them.

1. Smart locks are easy to steal

Compared to a traditional or ‘normal’ key lock and handle, a smart lock does look a little strange which is why most people worry about them being easy to spot – and to steal. But according to Nuki, this is a very common misconception.

“Smart locks that operate like Nuki’s are installed on the inside of the door, making it impossible to simply remove them from the outside,” explains Nuki. They went on to say that if someone were to try and steal a smart lock – especially one from Nuki – they “would first have to gain physical access to the home or force the door open. From the outside, it isn’t even visible that a smart lock is installed.”

2. Criminals can easily hack into smart locks

As smart locks have multiple unlocking methods, some of which need Wi-Fi to work, a persistent myth is that criminals can easily hack into them. But Nuki explains that “with strong encryption algorithms, similar to those used in online banking, and the so-called challenge-response procedure, it’s impossible to eavesdrop on or copy and replay lock commands.”

Smart locks are also rigorously tested to ensure physical attacks and cyber hacks are avoidable. For example, “Nuki smart locks undergo rigorous testing by AV-TEST laboratories… all carry the “Approved IoT Product” seal from the independent IT security research organization.” This is also the case for most smart locks on the market.

3. You have to use a smartphone to unlock them

One of the most common and popular ways to unlock your smart lock is with your smartphone. But many people worry about their phone dying and if this dead battery will effectively lock you out of the house. This isn’t true and in fact, a smartphone isn’t the only way to unlock a smart lock.

Nuki experts explain that “you can also use accessories such as a keypad (with fingerprint or access code) or a small Fob remote. It’s also always possible to open the door with a physical key – provided the cylinder has an emergency function.” Smart lock brands like Nuki offer multiple accessories and even back-up physical keys just in case.