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All CollectionsGeneral QuestionsWhat is Crash & Smash?
Crash & Smash is known in the security industry as when an intruder destroys the alarm panel while it is still in entry delay or in dialer delay mode (the time in which the panel allows you to enter your code and the industry standard delay in transmissions as required by law or practice) This was most common with panels only connected with a hard phone line. This is a concerning vulnerability because if the panel is destroyed before it initiates the alarm, then it is unable to transmit any signals to the monitoring station. The panel is then unable to take any action (e.g., send the police).

Crash & Smash protection is an patented feature exclusive to Alarm.com, Epic Alarm's technology partner, that allows the transmission of a special alarm signal to the monitoring station and to the end users if the panel is destroyed by an intruder during the panel entry delay or dialer delay.

Some advantages of Alarm.com Crash & Smash are:

  • It allows reduction of false alarms due to entry delay and dialer delay by adding additional security against the destruction of the panel.
  • It provides the user with confidence, knowing that even if the panel is destroyed, the property is secured.
  • It allows constant communication between the customer panel and Epic Alarm's monitoring station during an entry delay event and dialer delay.

What's the difference between Crash & Smash and traditional security systems?


Traditional security systems are vulnerable to attacks that disable the security system during scheduled delays (entry delay and dialer delay). An intruder can prevent an alarm signal being sent to the monitoring station by destroying the panel or by cutting the telephone wires.

In a traditional security system, when an intruder enters the property and the entry delay is enabled, there is a delay before the system activates the siren, during this time the intruder can locate the panel and destroy it, if this happens, the alarm signal is not transmitted by the panel.

In many systems, there is an additional delay called dialer delay which is enabled when the entry delay times out. This is a standard in the security industry that helps prevent false alarms. During this time it is even easier for the intruder to locate the panel and destroy it since the panel emits a constant siren. Similarly, the destruction of the panel during this stage means that the alarm signal is not sent to the monitoring station.

Alarm.com Crash & Smash protection allows sending a notification to the monitoring station and the end user of the destruction of the panel in either of the two scenarios described above.



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