App access password

Apps & Remote Access Unmaintained
1

Hi, thanks for creating and sharing the app with us.

I have a friend that currently has a Nexia and when he opens the app for it he gets prompted for a password. Is this possible with VeraMate? I looked for the option but did not find it.
It seems logical for the app to be password protected specially if locks are controlled by it.

Thanks again.

Bengie

2

Hi - no this isn’t supported. I’ve been asked before to do this on a device by device basis, which is effectively useless unless it’s supported by the manufacturer. However, I could request the user to enter their password again to authenticate themselves when it’s opened back up. I’m not entirely sure how useful this would be… I would think most users use the phones security to lock down their device, and wouldn’t want to enter a long password each time.

I’d be curious to know how many would find this useful to see if I should throw it into VeraMate?

3

Hi, thanks for the quick reply.

The way the Nexia app works is with just a 4 number “PIN” to open the app, simple, not his login info for Nexia, it’s just to open the app. Another security layer to protect your property, thermostats can be messed with and cause damage, locks…

If someone grabs your phone/tablet while it’s unlocked and opens the app they access everything.
A lot of people have their phones lock after a certain amount of minutes and not immediately.

Just makes sense.

I’m not a developer so I have no idea how hard it would be to implement this but it would be a great security feature to have.

Thanks again for your help and a great app.

Bengie

4

My thought had always been that this is only “security by obfuscation”, as it doesn’t actually prevent access to Vera from anyone else, or anyone on the local network.

But I can understand if it’s not meant to be a security item… more a “prank protection” :slight_smile: Won’t be too hard - I’ll throw this in for a future version.

5

Actually this is more of a preventive measure if the phone is lost or stolen.

  • Garrett
6

If the thief etc know enough to know what the app is for you have a real worry though, as Vera wouldn’t stand up to any attack once they have access to your wifi (via the phone) if they were so inclined to case your home, in any case.

But that’s going a bit beyond most of the people this PIN is aimed at. Anyway, I’m convinced - definitely future functionality for VeraMate :slight_smile:

7

I inititally thought this was a useless idea because my phone is password protected… but there are times when I’m at home and just set down my phone and my todler runs away with it. Next thing I know she has pushed a bunch of scenes, garage door is open, and my wife is yelling because she thinks I turned the lights off on her.

So yeah I can see a use for having this as an OPTION to turn password protection on or off to open the app.