Wi-Fi Jamming To Knock Out Cameras Suspected In Nine Minnesota Burglaries

Mark Tyson reports via Tom's Hardware: A serial burglar in Edina, Minnesota is suspected of using a Wi-Fi jammer to knock out connected security cameras before stealing and making off with the victim's prized possessions. [...] Edina police suspect that nine burglaries in the last six months have been undertaken with Wi-Fi jammer(s) deployed to ensure incriminating video evidence wasna(TM)t available to investigators. The modus operandi of the thief or thieves is thought to be something like this: - Homes in affluent areas are found- Burglars carefully watch the homes- The burglars avoid confrontation, so appear to wait until homes are empty- Seizing the opportunity of an empty home, the burglars will deploy Wi-Fi jammer(s)- "Safes, jewelry, and other high-end designer items," are usually taken A security expert interviewed by the source publication, KARE11, explained that the jammers simply confused wireless devices rather than blocking signals. They usually work by overloading wireless traffic aoeso that real traffic cannot get through,a the news site was told. [...] Worryingly, Wi-Fi jamming is almost a trivial activity for potential thieves in 2024. KARE11 notes that it could buy jammers online very easily and cheaply, with prices ranging from $40 to $1,000. Jammers are not legal to use in the U.S. but they are very easy to buy online.

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