With the increasing popularity of smart home products like Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit, there’s been no shortage of discussion about just how safe these systems really are. With plenty of evidence to suggest that many smart homes aren’t as secure as they should be.
According to one study, more than 49,000 smart home servers were publicly available on the internet.
According to an FBI report, IC4 has received 847,376 complaints of cyberattacks with potential losses of over $6.9 billion.
According to a Kaspersky study, 89% of IoT device owners have security concerns.
So, it’s important to take steps to protect yourself now before your home becomes the next headline on news outlets around the world. This guide will help you understand what can be done to prevent hackers from accessing your system and stealing information.
Ways to Protect Smart Home
1. Enable two-factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security feature that requires you to confirm your identity with something you have, in addition to something you know.
Many online services, including email accounts and social media platforms, now offer this feature, and smart home manufacturers like Amazon, Apple, and Google have followed suit to ensure the security of their customers.
The best way to secure your smart home technology is to use 2FA or a similar authentication method to prevent unauthorized access. Once you have enabled this feature, you will be prompted to enter a code generated by an authenticator app on your smartphone every time you log in to your account from a new device.
This ensures that only your smartphone can log in to your account, thereby making your smart home devices more secure and preventing unauthorized access from hackers.
2. Isolate Smart Devices on a Separate Network
If you have a home automation system installed, you might consider separating your smart home devices on a separate network. This way, the devices will be completely isolated from the rest of your home network and won’t be able to access computers, smartphones, or other devices on your home network.
A separate network can help prevent hackers from accessing the sensitive data on your computers, like bank account information, and can also prevent your smart devices from infecting other devices with malware.
However, if you want to create a truly secure network, you’ll also have to change the default settings on your router and disable remote access. Otherwise, someone could simply log into your router remotely and gain access to the entire network, including the smart devices.
3. Buy Products from Reputable Companies Only
Smart home technologies are designed for convenience, but this doesn’t mean you should buy everything that’s available on the market. Before you make a purchase, make sure that the device is from a reputable manufacturer with a good track record.
Look for security features in the device and in the app, such as strong passwords and 2FA. If possible, choose a product with an open-source code. This means that the code used to program the device is open to the public so anyone can see it and make sure there are no vulnerabilities. If a device has a closed source code, you can’t be absolutely sure that it’s secure.
4. Installing Updates and Firmware Updates
All smart devices should come with regular updates and firmware updates. These updates are designed to fix bugs and improve device functionality. However, they are also important for security reasons because they often include patches for any vulnerabilities discovered in the device.
Once you have installed the device and are logged in to the app, make sure you regularly check for updates and install them immediately. This way, you reduce the risk of falling victim to a cyberattack. If the app provides a setting to automatically install updates, make sure this setting is enabled.
5. Use Strong Passwords
The most common way in which hackers gain access to devices is by guessing or cracking the password. If you use a strong, complicated password for your smart home devices, it will be very difficult for them to gain access.
However, the best password is one that is unique for each device. According to Travis Goodreau, expert security advisor on safehome.org, if the password of one device gets compromised, others still remain intact.
But remembering too many passwords is not easy. You can solve this problem by using a password manager like LastPass or 1Password to generate secure, unique passwords and then store them on your computer.
You can also store them online in a password manager. This way, you only have to remember one password to access all your other passwords, and it’s much easier to remember one super-strong password than it is to remember a different password for each device.
6. Reading User Reviews on each Product before Buying it
Before you buy a smart home product, make sure to read user reviews and look for any security vulnerabilities or flaws in the device. This can help you decide if the product is worth purchasing. If you find any negative reviews, consider switching to a different brand or model.
If there are many negative reviews about the device, it’s probably because there is something inherently wrong with the model and it has security flaws that can easily be exploited. However, keep in mind that reviews are subjective, and some people are quick to complain about anything.
If there are a few reviews, it’s better to ignore them than to jump to conclusions about the product. Only pay attention to reviews when there are many of them.
7. Tracking and Monitoring of Usage of Devices by Apps
If you’re worried, you should monitor the apps that are accessing your devices. You can do this by logging into your device settings and checking which apps have accessed your devices and when.
If you notice an app that you don’t recognize, it might be an indication that someone has hacked into the app and is attempting to gain access to your devices. You should immediately change your password and contact the app developer.
8. Use VPN
VPN will help you stay protected and secure on your computer and phone. A VPN will help you stay protected by encrypting your internet connection and securing your sensitive data from hackers. A VPN will also mask your IP address so your location is hidden from hackers.
In addition, a VPN will let you access geo-restricted websites and keep your data safe from ISPs. Using a VPN will help you stay protected while using smart home devices.
With a VPN, you can log into your devices from anywhere in the world and control them from your computer or smartphone. A VPN will also let you download apps and access the internet freely even if there are various restrictions in your country.
Make Your Smart Home System Safer
As the world becomes more and more technologically advanced, our homes are becoming smarter. We can now control our heating, cooling, and lighting with the touch of a button. We can also unlock our doors and turn on our security cameras from anywhere in the world.
While all of these features are incredibly convenient, they also make our homes more vulnerable to break-ins and other security threats. A traditional home security system can help to mitigate these risks, but a smart home security system takes things one step further.
Here are just a few of the ways a smart home security system can make your home safer:
1. Remote Monitoring
With a traditional home security system, you have to be physically present in your home to monitor what’s going on. But with a smart home security system, you can monitor your home from anywhere in the world using your smartphone or tablet.
2. Automatic Alerts
A smart home security system is connected to your home’s Wi-Fi network. This means that it can automatically send alerts to your phone or tablet if there’s any unusual activity detected in your home.
3. Two-Way Audio
Most smart home security cameras come with two-way audio, which allows you to listen in on what’s going on in your home and even talk to whoever is there. This can be useful for scaring off intruders or checking in on your kids when you’re not at home.
4. HD Video Quality
HD video quality is becoming the norm for smart home security cameras. This means that you can see very clear footage of what’s going on in your home, even if it’s dark outside.
5. Easy Installation
Installing a traditional home security system can be a real pain. But with a smart home security system, all you need is a power outlet and an internet connection. Most systems can be up and running in just a few minutes.
Ways you can Ensure your Safety if you get Hacked
If you've been the victim of a hack, it's important to take action to ensure your safety and protect your information. Here are three steps you can take:
1. Change all your passwords.
This includes passwords for email, social media, financial accounts, and any other website or service you use. Use a strong password that includes a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols, and make sure it's different from any other password you use.
2. Update your security settings.
Review the security settings for all your online accounts and update them to the highest level of protection. This includes enabling two-factor authentication whenever possible.
3. Be vigilant about phishing attempts.
Hackers will often try to trick you into giving them your login information by disguising themselves as a trusted source in an email or message. Don't click on any links or attachments unless you're absolutely sure they're safe; if in doubt, contact the sender directly to verify their identity before proceeding.
4. Monitor your activity.
Keep an eye on your account activity and look for any unusual or suspicious activity. If you see something, report it to the site or service immediately.
Which smart home devices would be the most dangerous if compromised by a hacker?
There are a few different smart home devices that could be considered the most dangerous if compromised by a hacker. These include devices that control your security system, as well as any devices that have access to your personal information or that can control your home’s utilities.
For example, if a hacker were to gain access to your security system, they could disable it and leave your home vulnerable to break-ins. They could also use it to spy on you and your family, or even to cause physical harm if they were able to remotely control the security system’s cameras or alarms.
Similarly, devices that have access to your personal information, such as smart TVs or home assistants, could be used to collect data about you and your family.
Finally, devices that can control your home’s utilities, such as your thermostat or your lights, could be used to cause havoc in your home. For example, they could turn off your heat in the middle of winter or turn on all of your lights at once, causing a major disruption. They could also raise or lower your thermostat to extreme temperatures, which could be dangerous for you and your family.
Summary
- Make sure that all of your devices are password-protected.
- Install security software on all of your devices. This will help to detect and block any attempts by hackers to gain access to your system.
- Be careful about what information you share online. Avoid sharing personal information or connecting devices to public Wi-Fi networks where they could be more vulnerable to attack.
- Choose devices that have built-in security features. For example, many newer TVs come with anti-virus software that can help protect your device from malicious attacks.
- Use a strong password for your router and make sure that your network is encrypted.
- Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks whenever possible. If you do need to use public Wi-Fi, be sure to only connect to websites that are secure (HTTPS://...
- Use VPN to secure your IP address.
Bottom Line
Smart home devices are a useful addition to any home, but you have to be aware of the security concerns and make sure you have the proper protection in place to prevent hackers from accessing your network. It’s important to follow the above tips to protect your data and privacy from smart home hackers. All it takes is one mistake to become the next headline news item.Sources
https://www.travelers.com/resources/home/smart-home/how-to-help-protect-your-smart-home-from-hackers
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-protect-your-smart-home-from-hackers
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/protect-your-smart-home-from-hackers/