Look at all the smart devices inside your smart home. You will not believe it, but the potential risks of a smart home are inevitable before even entering the house. To solve the issue, many houses have professionally installed security systems. However, these systems may identify physical intruders but are not impervious to online invaders.
Security cameras are just simple examples of where hackers can potentially intrude on your house. Smart home users should also know that other smart devices could bring security threats. Although they are intended to make lives easier, outdoor devices with embedded computers may be the most vulnerable to attack. This statement is according to Dr. Zahid Anwar, a computer science professor, and cybersecurity expert.
Outdoor devices, such as garage door openers and smart sprinklers, are more vulnerable. Someone could easily access these devices when someone drives with a computer or another Wi-Fi transmitter. Hackers can gain access to the entire smart home network through the use of outdoor smart devices as entry points.
Thus, if you are investing a lot of money to ensure the security of your smart home, you need to invest in something. The truth is, spending your time reading about the ways to enhance the security of your smart home would be helpful. So, here is the list that we prepared for you.
Enhancing the Security of Your Smart Home
Smart home privacy concerns are serious, but convenience should not be sacrificed for safety. Here are the things you can consider to help secure your smart home.
DYOR
DYOR means “Do Your Own Research.” So, before investing in any smart gadget, you should take some time to research. You can also assess if the gadget is from a credible manufacturer. You may consider questions like: Is there a history of data breaches, or does the company have a good reputation for providing certain products?
On top of everything, understand your control over your privacy and information usage. One good sign is when your smart devices allow you to disregard having your information collected. Note also if they will enable you to access and delete the data it does collect.
Review the Privacy and Security Setup
As mentioned earlier, you can restrict how much data a device collects, stores, or transmits. This is a good sign for most. You may also be able to choose whether or not to share some or all of your data with third-party advertisers.
Examine the privacy and security options to see what is available. You should review these options for new devices. If you have owned the device for a while, you can still check these options in case new updates occur.
Use Strong Password
You would not leave your front door unlocked and wide open for anyone to come and go as they pleased. Likewise, use a password to secure your home Wi-Fi network. A weak password can be like leaving your front door open, and it can be cracked instantly.
The first deadbolt that protects your smart home from intrusion is to secure your home network with a strong password. Similarly, it would help if you protected each smart device with a unique, strong password. The default passwords on your devices will simply not suffice; cybercriminals already know the default passwords for most popular smart devices. Consider using a trusted password manager to create strong passwords for your devices.
Enable Multi-factor Authentication
So, if you are still not complacent about your strong password, you can consider multi-factor authentication. They could be your impenetrable shield against those who try to intrude on your smart home. It works through a confirmation of user’s identity. It might range from something they have and a factor unique to their physical beings, such as a retina or fingerprint scan. This could prevent a cybercriminal from accessing your network or account using credential-stuffing tactics if your login details were exposed during a data breach.
Update Your Device Regularly
Keep up with software updates from your device’s manufacturer. Because available updates are not always advertised, visit the manufacturer’s website on a regular basis. Also, keep mobile apps that are linked to your device up to date. Change your settings to enable automatic software updates to always have the most recent security patches.
Setting Up Your Router the Right Way
The gateway to your smart home is your Wi-Fi router. Remember that. Indeed, you do not want hackers to take advantage of your router. Thus, building a more secure smart home begins with your router. It is what connects and adds value to all of your smart devices. To set up a secure router, follow these best practices.
Change Your Router’s Default Name
Don’t use the default name for your router anymore. Change it! Hackers would try to discover your router’s model and its default name. It will be their strongest spot for your weakest spot. They may be able to look up the default login and password and gain easy access to your smart home network. So, please give it a unique name that has nothing to do with your profile. Be creative with your router name, but avoid revealing any personal information.
Set a Strong Password
Okay, here we go again. Passwords are essential, and a very strong password is an edge. Set the router’s password to something truly unique. Make complex passwords with letters, numbers, and symbols. Consider using a random password generator to generate a nearly impenetrable password.
Use a Sophisticated Encryption
Finally, choose the highest level of encryption available, currently WPA2 (WPA3 is just around the corner). If your router only supports the WPA or WEP protocols, you need to upgrade it. Home routers are the most common targets for hackers. So, a secure router translates to a significantly more secure smart home.
Security Exists When you Learn How to Do it.
You can buy the best smart devices at a very high price. However, the security of your smart home lies in your hands. So, before purchasing any device, take the time to do your research. Check to see if it is still receiving manufacturer updates or has vulnerabilities reported by users. Yes, it takes time and money to prepare, but it is always a priority to be safe rather than sorry.