Detecting WiFi jamming used to knock out security systems

[watchmaker]

As long as we are talking about networked cameras, the easiest way to detect something like that would be on a higher level in the network stack.
Have something monitor the network reachability of the camera. Something that perodically pings the cam can already be enough.
Have that alert you if the camera does not respond.

Doing it like that you do not need to care about why the camera lost the connection, be it a cut cable, power loss, someone smashing the camera, wifi jamming or deauth attacks. If the camera goes offline you get alerted.
If you use an NVR i would think that those have such a monitoring built in, though i have to say i do not have personal experiences with NVRs.

This exists.  I use Pulseway to monitor my NVR.

[fcb]

My next thought is how easy would it be to detect the jamming and create an alert?

I spent years hunting down jammers and other interference sources in the field as part of my job.  The short answer is that in order to be effective, a jammer has to be (a) loud, (b) wide, and (c) on most of the time*.  Detecting and radiolocating jammers is therefore usually very easy.

The issue is what do you do if a jammer is detected?  And what is the backhaul (so to speak)?  If a WiFi connected camera detects jamming and it's link back to the system is being jammed, it has no way to communicate this in-band.

I agree this is a (potentially) serious problem, but building jamming detection into devices that use a wireless connection doesn't seem like a solution to me.

*Yes, there are some sophisticated jammers (reactive, etc.) that don't necessarily meet these criteria, but these are extremely rare in non mil/gov applications.

I can see a time where criminals carry jammers as standard. And knowing the UK it's going to take out police ages to catch-up to this.

Be interesting to see if you get to the point where police could setup simulated/fake Ring doorbells just to catch the criminals - don't reckon they'd get bragging rights 'inside' for breaking the 1949 Wireless Telegraphy Act.

[mendip_discovery]

The wired cameras (Ubiquiti) alert me to being disconnected physically. The wifi cameras (Blink) will alert me if I lose connection for more than 30 minutes.

It is an arms race, criminals break in > you buy better locks > they get battery angle grinders and 1mm discs > you fit cameras > they use laser pointers to destroy sensors > you fit alarms ... etc.

In the UK the police are rather reactive to crimes they don't have the numbers to do the job. The focus has been on catching people who have something to lose, such as a driver's licence.

One idea I had was to build a directional detection system for signals. Track them as things pass by. A noisy jammer might be trackable so you can see it approach or leave. An antenna on each corner of the house, and a good accurate timer and you can pinpoint the signals. In theory, you might pick up on their mobile phones before they turn on the jammer then you have a fingerprinted device to track during the day when they don't have a jammer.