Home security

Abstract: Home computer systems are insecure because they are administered by untrained users. The rise of botnets has amplified this problem; attackers compromise these computers, aggregate them, and use the resulting network to attack third parties. Despite a large security industry that provides software and advice, home computer users remain vulnerable. I identify eight 'folk models' of security threats that are used by home computer users to decide what security software to use, and which expert security advice to follow: four conceptualizations of 'viruses' and other malware, and four conceptualizations of 'hackers' that break into computers. I illustrate how these models are used to justify ignoring expert security advice. Finally, I describe one reason why botnets are so difficult to eliminate: they cleverly take advantage of gaps in these models so that many home computer users do not take steps to protect against them.

Abstract: A backup security system for the telephone company lines of a protected home located in a neighborhood in which all the homes have a.c. supply lines connected to a common power transformer. The protected home, in addition to being provided with a conventional security system, is provided with a line-cut monitor, a PWM transmitter, and a conflict avoidance circuit. When the line-cut monitor senses that the telephone company lines for the protected home have been cut by an intruder, it provided a signal for gating an alarm signal from the conventional security system to the PWM transmitter which impresses the alarm signal as high frequency signals on the a.c. supply lines in the neighborhood. A neighboring home in the neighborhood is provided with a PWM receiver, telephone company lines and an automatic telelphone communicator. The PWM receiver in the neighboring home responds to the high frequency signals on the a.c. supply lines and provides a digital signal to the automatic telephone communicator causing it to seize the telephone company lines for the neighboring home and send a message informing a central station that an intruder has broken into the protected home. The conflict avoidance circuit in the protected home enables the PWM transmitter therein to impress high frequency signals on the a.c. supply lines in the neighborhood only when there is an absence of any other high frequency signals on the a.c. supply lines in the neighborhood.

Abstract: The present invention provides a home security system that includes a home security controller for collecting monitor data from various crime prevention and disaster prevention sensors installed in a home via a home network and notifying the portable terminal when a state of emergency occurs The home security controller also enables devices in the home to be operated through remote control signals via an external network The home security system further includes a portable terminal capable of connecting to the external network and having fingerprint data inputting means mounted on the body of the portable terminal for inputting fingerprints used for authentication The fingerprint data inputting means has an assigned ID number The home security system further includes a security center server having fingerprint authenticating means for receiving fingerprint data from the portable terminal via the external network and authenticating the fingerprint data through comparisons with registered fingerprint data The fingerprint authenticating means completes authentication by checking the assigned ID number of the fingerprint data inputting means and matching the received fingerprint data with fingerprint data registered in association with the ID number The security center server allows a connection between the portable terminal and the home security controller and controls bi-directional communications between the two after the security center server has completed authentication, enabling the portable terminal to receive monitor data from and transmit remote control signals to the home security controller via the external network

Abstract: Smart home technology provides a suite of independently and remotely controlled software and hardware that are connected into a network to deliver smart living. Smart homes have immense potential to shape the future living, and the market is maturing, but factors influencing households’ adoption of smart home technology services are still an understudied area. The study aims to identify the prominent smart home technology services and generate an understanding of the motivations, barriers, and risks of adoption from a consumer perspective. The paper reviews the literature and builds a conceptual framework of smart home adoption. The findings disclose: (a) Prominent technology services are associated with healthcare, energy efficiency and home security; (b) Primary motivations to adopt smart home technology services include efficient energy management, better home-based healthcare services, potential financial savings and benefits, and enhanced quality of life; (c) Main barriers to the smart home adoption include the distrust and resistance, limited perception of smart home, concerns of financial issues, privacy and security concerns, technology anxiety and negative social influences, and; (d) Main risks include privacy and security threats, energy rebounds and wasteful consumption, difficulty in the domestication of technology and destructiveness in domestic life.