As promoted by EASY SmartHome GmbH, CloudMatic offers the solution for worldwide remote access via a web browser to the interface of smart home hubs (including CCU2, CCU3, RaspberryMatic, smartha Home, Homegear). The use of various apps such as Smartha App, Home Connect Plus, PocketControl, Mediola, TinyMatic, jsmatic, @Home, and Home24 is also possible from a distance.

Discover in the following review how the combination of encrypted cloud communication and control via VPN tunnel operates securely, and what developments have emerged compared to the previous year.

Online communication

CloudMatic implements secure remote access to the Homematic CCU via a combination of secure cloud access via mobile app and a VPN tunnel between the Homematic CCU and the cloud. Accordingly, these two aspects were closely analyzed in our test. Other smart home systems, such as Philips Hue, can also be connected, but in the current test, we used an eQ-3 Homematic CCU2.

To enable a connection via remote access, for example via the Smartha app (Android, iOS) or the web browser, the VPN profile must first be installed as an add-on on the Homematic CCU. This plugin then establishes a connection to CloudMatic and thus enables access by the app.

Both the communication of the mobile app and the base itself were effectively encrypted at all times, as they were last year, and secured against the most common attack scenarios, such as man-in-the-middle attacks. For the establishment of the VPN connection from the Homematic CCU, no obvious and/or critical vulnerabilities were identified in the test.

Applications

Both the Android and the iOS application (version 2.8.15) do not have any obvious, serious vulnerabilities for the time being. The implemented protection concepts are effective and secure the communication accordingly well. There is still room for improvement in a few smaller points, but we are in contact with the manufacturer here.

Data privacy

The privacy statements of CloudMatic and the Smartha app provide very comprehensive information about all important, privacy-relevant topics in connection with the solution. At the time of testing, a small bug still existed in the app, which causes the privacy statement belonging to the website to be displayed and not the one belonging to the app. The correct one is only displayed in the mobile app if no Internet connection is available at startup. However, the fix should not be a problem here.

Verdict

The CloudMatic solution continues to provide a secure way to manage and control smart home systems, for example eQ-3 Homematic or the smartha home control panel, via remote access. The selected combination of mobile application and VPN connection offers not only advantages for user-friendliness, but also a high level of protection in terms of security. Accordingly, the CloudMatic solution including the Smartha app has been awarded the AV-TEST certificate “Approved IoT Product” again this year.