Gradually you are becoming habituated to use your voice to control the operations of your smart home; you feel secure due to the smart security devices and the newly installed smart devices. But, there is darkness on the flip side. Surprised? You should read on; I will introduce you to the ways, which will secure your smart home for eternity.
Did I mention security, you ask? After all, you have installed the most advanced smart security systems at your home. But my friend, spare a thought about securing all these “smart” devices which have been entrusted to protect your home.
Feeling lost! Let me elaborate; all the smart devices mandatory have internet capabilities. Each of them is vulnerable to hacking, thus securing your smart home is a must. So, is there any antivirus for all these smart devices? The answer is no, and you do not have to rummage the internet for clues.
In this guide, I will tell you, how you can smartly secure your smart home.
Why a smart home is vulnerable?
Presently, smart devices are flooding the market. These devices are also known as the Internet of Things devices (IoT), and these are the favorite devices for cybercriminals and hackers.
Even before you wink, these rogues will create entry points through this mechanism. Hackers can wreak havoc, as reports suggest, in recent times, they have successfully taken control monitors, webcams and they were quickly able to trespass the security of your home. Loopholes in the safety of a smart home can create more dangerous scenarios, such as:
The hackers can gain access to your thermostat and make a note on your timings when you are at home and when you are away.
Ransomware attacks are also a possibility, after gaining full control to your smart devices, these people can demand a ransom else they would not let you access the smart home system. Even if you do pay a ransom, there is no guarantee they will live up to their words.
Hackers can also gain access to the information you share with your smart home assistants like Google Home, Alexa, and Siri. Confidential information can become public, which is highly unsolicited.
The Internet Security Threat Report suggests the common smart devices are vulnerable to attacks every two minutes. Surely, now you understand, why securing your smart home is indispensable.
Why are smart home devices susceptible?
The hackers mostly target the Home routers and security cameras. The reason is simple, these devices lack adequate security and therefore become easy targets for the hijackers.
Most of these devices lack any mechanism for updating, most homeowners set easy or recognizable passwords, and there is no proper mechanism for protecting the computer system.
The requisite steps for protection
You need not to be a tech-savvy person to realize; all these smart devices have one thing in common. Each of them connects via the same network. Without a robust networking infrastructure, a smart home is unimaginable.
Here, you have to think rationally, enabling protection for each smart device is next to impossible; therefore the network security is the area where you need to focus primarily. Calm down! No need to get hyper, we are here to help. Follow the steps below, and your smart home will become secure.
1. Name your router
Do not take things for granted. Many of us do not think it is essential to change the default name of the router. Hackers can quickly identify the make or model by searching the name of the router. The best idea would be to assign a very uncommon name to your router, which will be hard to guess by anyone.
2. Emphasize on a secure encryption method for the Wi-Fi network
Again, most users tend to overlook this aspect. Do not make any compromises; insist on using a robust encryption method like WPA2 before commencing the setting up of the Wi-Fi network access.
3. Set up a guest network
Never make your Wi-Fi account public. Of course, when you have visitors on your smart home, they will want to utilize the system. You can create a separate network which has no connection with your smart devices.
4. Change the default username and passwords
Cyber criminals or hackers think miles ahead than the ordinary people. They have all the default usernames and passwords related to the smart devices at their fingertips. It makes it easier for them to hijack the smart devices.
You will find some devices that do not allow changing the default passwords, avoid such products. So, change the default username and passwords associated with the smart devices.
5. Unique and strong passwords for all your device accounts including Wi-Fi networks
I guess you have come across this several times before. At the present day, wherever you create an account, they insist on creating a unique and complex password that includes numbers, symbols, and letters.
If you cannot think of a reasonable password, you can opt for password managers. These tools will suggest secure passwords and also remember them for you.
6. Check the device settings
You probably buy a smart device looking at its wide range of capabilities. But, do inspect the default privacy and security settings. If there is a provision, you should change the default settings. Remember, these settings are beneficial for the manufacturer and not for you.
7. Turn off the features you rarely use
Understandably, these smart devices will have a host of features. For example, these devices have a remote access feature which remains on by default, turn it off, if you rarely use this feature.
8. Update the software
Never ignore updating the software of your smart devices. You will notice, your smartphone often notifies you of an essential update.
The update is necessary for securing your phone as these updates often offer security patches. Similarly, the other smart devices will also notify you of periodic updates, do not postpone them at any cost.
9. Make the two-step authentication
Enable the two-step authentication, most of the smart devices offer this feature nowadays. Utilize it for securing the smart home.
10. Refrain from using public Wi-Fi networks
Soon after your smart home installation is complete, there will be the temptation to test things when you are outside. So, you might want to manage the smart devices via your smartphone when sitting at a restaurant, far away from your home.
Avoid using the public Wi-Fi network for doing so. The best option will be to use a VPN or an if you need to use the public Wi-Fi network, use an app that offers ample privacy and security measures when operating in open systems.
11. Go for a unified threat management appliance (UTM)
The appliance is a must for homes that have a plethora of smart devices. UTM can efficiently detect intrusion and instantly enables protection by managing the internet gateway. Additionally, UTM provides antivirus protection for the network.
11. Have a realistic approach
Just because now you are a proud owner of a smart home, does not mean you need to start thinking and living differently. Yes, you will always feel the urge to keep all your devices on for 24/7 and this itself becomes a backdoor for the opportunistic hackers.
If you do not know this already, researchers believe, voice assistants can be maneuvered. Thus, they can quickly open the doors of your home or do anything they wish.
Just picture the scenario, when you need to have a confidential conversation, you usually do so behind closed doors. Similarly, when you are residing in your smart home, you can turn off the listening of your voice assistant. In this way, you can be sure of protecting sensitive information.
12. Know the status of your devices
Naturally, once the smart home has been set up, you will have several devices that share data from the network for gaming, and voice assistants.
Sometimes it is possible, you lose track of how many smart devices have been on back home, but no one is using them. Switch off the devices; you no longer need to use.
So, as you can see, I have shared all the precautionary measures and guidelines with which you can safely secure your smart home system. Remember, all the points mentioned in this guideline are essential. That is all your smart home will be safe and secure.
Conclusion
The smart home system is a dynamic field. The security companies are aware of the vulnerabilities of smart devices. I am currently in the threshold of getting improved smart products like remote-controlled authentication, malware and botnet protection, and much more.
With the advent of the new smart products, the level of security is bound to be high than their predecessor.
Nevertheless, your network will not change all of a sudden.
The guidelines I provided here will remain significant even when more advanced devices hit the market. Things are soon going to get interesting when IoT enters every home. Till then, continue to update and upgrade, and stay safe.
