ADT Security Hub AWAY/STAY/DISARM push notifications

So… this is a back door. They don’t need to “break stuff” … they could just add a lock to the door.

Of course, we wish SmartThings would be officially open with all their major features (SHM, ADT, Scenes, …); but they are not “really / fully” and open platform. Indeed, various SmartApps have been arming and disarm SHM without a published API for it; since shortly after its addition to the product.

Thanks for sharing your research and discoveries … and SmartApp.

Not sure i would classify it as a backdoor as it is what a Automation would use if you create it with the official app, and what the offical “ADT Notification” app uses. They certainly could close it up though if they wanted to, but that applies to everything.

I do get your point though, until they lock that down though why not use it.

I classify anything that’s not in the Developer Documentation as “backdoor”, but perhaps that’s a big too big of a generalization. The problem is that “security researchers” (look it up) have called out SmartThings as having significant vulnerabilities, which, if they had carefully read and understood the documentation would … well, be subject to interpretation.

Such “security researchers” will inevitably discover the same undocumented APIs / features discussed here, and, due partially to the lack of documentation, declare that the scope of the functionality introduces a security risk and blow the entire situation out of proportion. As a result, SmartThings is made, by knee-jerk reaction, less and less open to 3rd party applications, through no fault of our own.

That is a good point. Security researchers are important, but they have a nack for sounding like the sky is falling.That is actually a good reason for documenting the subscritpion and functions more completely. After seeing what i have done i don’t see how it creates any kind of security issue though. I wouldn’t have put it out there if it did. I am just reacting to things, and in actuality I have no way to influence the ADT side at all.

1 Like

There actually is a way (so I hear and believe…) to arm/disarm from a SmartApp. It’s entirely within the scope of SmartThings security architecture, so it’s not exactly a vulnerability - unless customers have been told only ADT keypad, keyfob, and SmartThings App can perform this.

1 Like

I actually agreed with the concept of Smartthings not controlling the ADT side. The more I thought about it there are some serious risks of bad behavior by Smartthings that would cause ADT problem. Depending on local municipality regulations about alarms these can be huge issues. Updating the ADT side is something i have not tried to do, and won’t. It is just to risky to possibly create a problem for it’s functionality

I don’t want to influence the ADT side, but i would like to allow the Smartthings side to react to the ADT activity. I haven’t seen anything saying that shouldn’t be possible, it is just a matter of finding out how that information is exposed to smartthings. Maybe i haven’t looked hard enough, but everything i have seen talks about what is allowed into the ADT side of the system. not the other way around.

1 Like

@Mavrrick58 The app looks and feels great, but I haven’t been able to get the siren or light flashing to trigger. The notifications for alarm status changes are working fine. I’ve selected my various sensors, but no combination of alarm arming and sensor activity triggers the siren or the lights. (I’ve had no problem triggering the ADT alarm siren–so I’ve driven the wife and kids a bit crazy this week. :grin:) When I disarm the alarm, I see in the activity feed that the app sent an off command to the siren, but that’s it. Any ideas?

@mylikan
Are you pulling from the Repo or installing manually? Is it update to date?
I believe when i first published the smart app there was a bug that would effect what items were found to trigger the alarm. Please make sure you have the very latest version.

I have just tested what I have installed and it triggered from both my water sensor one of my ADT Sensors. If you want you can PM me the IDE Log info so i can review

The line that confirms that the sensor was id’d to trigger the alarm should look like this in the IDE

Found device: ID: xxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxx, Label: Front Door, Name: ADT Door/Window Sensor

If you don’t have that line then the app didn’t match the sensor that triggered from ADT to your selected triggers.

I believe i have identified the problem with the triggered action part. I will let you know when i publish the fix. the work around would be to select something for each of the trigger types. even if it isn’t an adt item.

I have posted a somewhat significant update to the app to the repo. I was already working on changing the UI and changing the app to Parent/Child type setup.

The new app includes a management ADT Tools Parent app, and 5 Child apps 1 for that manages the Message and the other 4 are to react to the sensor types. Please make sure you get them to enable all of the monitoring options.

The updated app is working great. Thanks for the new features.

1 Like

I have made additional updates. Now the alarm mode on the hub will be kept in sync with the ADT Alarm Panel. The addtion of that functinality is also allowing the setup of a delay to be used with the ADT Alert Any sensor child app for exit Delay functionality.

1 Like

Hi, Is there and capability or attribute that shows ADT hub is working on batteries? I want to detect if the electricity is done.
Generally, how we can get list of attributes and commands of a device?

Yes there is a attribute that indicates on battery. You can see this from looking in the IDE at the device. There is also a attribute for tamper activity. I actually just put this on the radar for an ADT Tools addition in the future. The big question with it though is what already happens when those flags are tripped. I kind of remember getting notified when they were tripped by other methods like ADT or built in notifications.

If you look at the developer documentation there are some examples you can use to write and app to pull the information you are looking for as well through smartthings. It is a good learning exercise.

@amehrbod

I am working on adding notification for power source changes and tamper activity. I have a good part of it done already. Keep an eye on the ADT Tools release thread for when it gets released.

@amehrbod

I just commited the first update for these features. Simply put you can now turn on notification if a tamper alert occurs or if your system changes from battery to main power or the other way. I am pondering the idea of adding a reoccurring option so you will get notified if power is on batter and it stays there for a period of time. The idea being that simply if don’t get the message after it has been on battery for a while you then now that the panel is completely powered off and everything is down. I am not sure if that is really of any value though.