In October, we mark Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time to reflect on how digital security shapes our lives far beyond laptops and servers. Cybersecurity touches everything smart and connected: surveillance cameras, thermostats, building systems, and yes, your door lock.

At Bold, we believe that securing your access is as vital as securing your data. Whether you are a homeowner curious about smart home security or a business owner managing multiple locations, a reliable and secure smart lock is essential.

In this article, we explain how Bold protects your access using a hybrid architecture of Bluetooth local unlocking combined with cloud management, with the option to add remote access through the Bold Connect. All of this is built on strong encryption and design choices that reduce risk.

When someone hears “cybersecurity,” they usually think of firewalls, antivirus software, or encrypted email. But in our modern connected world, every smart device is part of the cybersecurity landscape, including your access control system.

Smart locks are not just physical locks with convenience features. They are entry points into your personal space, business premises, or property. A compromised smart lock can lead to unauthorised physical access, theft, liability issues, or worse.

For business owners in particular, the stakes are higher: controlling who can enter your warehouses, offices, co-working spaces, or guest units is central to operational security. Furthermore, research on smart homes warns of digital harms such as unauthorised access, data leaks, or manipulation of device controls in IoT (Internet of Things) systems. These risks are real and persistent in the smart home domain [1]. Because of this, a smart lock must deliver both strong encryption and smart architectural design. This has been Bold's top priority.

Bold Smart Lock operates with a layered design. Each layer is conceived to maintain security and usability.

Cloud layer: Access management and rights
When you assign access in the Bold app, whether it is for a guest, an employee, or a contractor, that assignment goes through Bold’s cloud platform. The logic of who can enter where and when is managed there. All communication between your phone and Bold servers is encrypted with TLS, certificate validation, and cryptographic standards. This ensures that access rights can be updated, revoked, or extended in real-time without exposing plain text credentials.

This cloud layer gives you powerful control: centralised access control across multiple locations, instant revocation of access, audit logs, and role-based permissions.

Local unlocking: Bluetooth communication
The critical moment, unlocking the door, happens locally via Bluetooth. When your phone or a Bold Clicker comes within range, the lock is activated over a Bluetooth connection. Because this is a local channel:

• You do not need Wi-Fi or mobile data at that moment
• The door still opens even if internet is down
• The system is less exposed to remote cyberattacks

The lock verifies that the user has the proper rights (derived from the cloud) but without needing to recheck the internet at the moment of unlock. This gives reliability in real-world conditions where connectivity is imperfect.

The Bold Connect: enabling remote features securely
For those who want remote control and monitoring, Bold offers the Bold Connect as an optional module. With a Bold Connect installed, your lock maintains a secure, encrypted connection to Bold servers. That gives you:

• Real-time status of your lock (is it locked or unlocked, battery level)
• The ability to activate the door from anywhere
• On-the-fly updates of access rights without needing local proximity

Because the Connect is optional, those who prefer a more isolated setup with less exposure can operate without it. For businesses or users who want more control, the Connect unlocks powerful extras such as remote activation of the lock and real-time status updates.

This continuous connection is secured with strong encryption, certificate-based authentication, and safe APIs that are regularly tested to prevent vulnerabilities. On top of that, Bold applies constant monitoring and anomaly detection to quickly identify and stop suspicious activity before it becomes a threat. These multiple layers of defense ensure that even with a permanent internet connection, your Bold lock remains as secure as your online banking.

Together, this architecture, local Bluetooth combined with optional encrypted cloud connectivity, delivers a balance of access control convenience, resilience under connectivity loss, and protection against cyber threats.

Some smart locks rely on Wi-Fi as the main communication channel. That allows direct remote control, but it comes with trade offs:

• A continuously exposed lock is harder to defend from remote hacking attempts
• When the network is down, the lock might become inaccessible
• Wi-Fi modules consume more power, reducing battery life
• Wi-Fi signals are often weaker near doors or in basements

Independent comparative guides note that Bluetooth locks tend to be more energy efficient, offer better battery longevity, and are inherently less exposed to remote threats because they are not always accessible online [2].

Moreover, in real attacks researchers have demonstrated relay attacks on Bluetooth systems by manipulating signals between devices to cheat proximity checks. This is why secure implementation of Bluetooth pairing, session keys, anti-replay measures, and cryptographic protections is critical, and Bold incorporates those safeguards.

By limiting exposure to the internet path while still offering optional connectivity, Bold’s architecture mitigates many of the threats that purely Wi-Fi based locks face.

Here are scenarios showing how Bold’s hybrid design adds value to both homes and businesses.

Private homes
Invite family members, friends, or a cleaner in seconds through the Bold app, and remove that access just as quickly when you need to. No more hiding spare keys under the mat, no more worrying who still has a copy. If a relationship changes or a contractor finishes work, you simply revoke their permissions in the app and they can no longer open the door. All unlocking still happens locally via Bluetooth, so family members can get in even if the internet is down.

Holiday homes and second properties
As the owner of a holiday home or second residence, you want to know who enters your property without being there in person. With Bold, you can check remotely when the lock was used, who accessed the door, and revoke access instantly if necessary. This means you never need to drive over just to collect or hand out keys. The Bold Connect adds even more peace of mind by letting you see the current lock status from anywhere.

Office and corporate buildings
Control who enters which area and when from a single management portal. Grant employees access based on role, set time windows for contractors, and revoke permissions instantly when someone leaves the company. Staff unlock doors locally via Bluetooth for reliable daily use, while the Bold Connect enables real-time monitoring of entry logs and lock status for facilities teams.

Warehouses and storage facilities
In locations with patchy internet, Bluetooth unlocking ensures doors remain operational at all times. For headquarters and managers, the Bold Connect provides oversight of multiple sites, so you can check door status, battery levels, and access history remotely. Temporary access for delivery drivers or maintenance crews can be issued and removed centrally, removing the need for physical key exchanges and reducing operational risk.

No security model is perfect, but Bold tackles major pitfalls proactively.

Secure pairing and Bluetooth vulnerabilities
Bluetooth Low Energy, a wireless standard designed for short range communication with minimal power use, has known risks like downgrade attacks or man-in-the-middle exploits if pairing is poorly implemented. Bold uses secure pairing modes, enforces strong sessions, frequent cryptographic key refresh, and replay protections.

Firmware updates and patching
Like any IoT device, smart locks require updates to keep improving. These updates are important to protect against vulnerabilities, stay ahead of new threats and increase functionalities. Bold supports secure over the air firmware updates so vulnerabilities can be patched without compromising security.

Audit trails and monitoring
With the Bold Connect, you gain visibility: when and who accessed a lock, battery levels, status changes. Logging is critical for investigations, compliance requirements, and operational accountability.

Resilience under outages
Because unlocking is local, loss of internet or power does not block access. That resilience is a core advantage of Bold’s design.

Continuous threat monitoring
We continuously monitor system behaviour, validate certificates, and guard APIs to detect anomalous behaviour. This ensures even remote connectivity remains safe.

Bold is more than a smart lock. It is a security architecture built for a connected world. Our approach delivers:

• Local Bluetooth unlocking to ensure reliability even when offline
• A cloud management layer for access control, permission updates, and audit logging
• Optional remote control via the Bold Connect with encrypted communications
• Resilience against network outages and reduced exposure to remote attacks
• Suitability for both homeowners and business owners managing multiple access points

During Cybersecurity Awareness Month we will continue sharing deep dives, tips, and real world advice on securing smart access systems. Because at Bold, we believe real security begins at your front door.

Sources

[1] “The digital harms of smart home devices: A systematic literature review - Arxiv,” Arxiv, Aug. 30, 2022. https://arxiv.org/abs/2209.05458

[2] R. Lakeford, “WiFi vs Bluetooth Smart Locks: A Complete Comparison Guide - Smart Home Ace,” Smart Home Ace, Nov. 1, 2024. https://smarthomeace.com/wifi-vs-bluetooth-smart-lock/