The present invention relates to the detection of degradation in climate control system performance, in particular to the detection of degradation in heating system performance or air-conditioning system performance that is an indicator of impending heating system failure or air-conditioning system failure in domestic properties. In particular, the present invention provides a method for detecting such degradation comprising: receiving climate control data indicative of a climate control system in a property (location) being turned on and turned off; receiving an energy consumption signal indicative of the energy consumption of the property; correlating the received signal with the received data to determine an energy consumption signature of the climate control system when being turned on and turned off; comparing the determined signature with previously obtained energy consumption signatures to detect differences in the determined signature that are indicative of degradation.

In a method for determining a threat situation for an automation component of the controller or field level, wherein the automation component has at least one essentially cyclic program behavior, a number of required program behaviors is established in a learning phase in a processor, and the determined required program behaviors are stored and compared cyclically with actual program behaviors, that are established in operation of the automation component. The result of the comparison is logically linked with results of other security components for verification as to whether a threat situation exists.