With the development of technology, smart home has become a destination for many people looking for a better life. This technological revolution is changing the way people live and interact with their homes. However, by welcoming the Internet of Things (IoT) and making your home “smart”, you are putting yourself and your home at risk.
A connected home makes your life easier, but there is a risk of becoming a victim of cyberattacks. can Hackers steal and misuse personal and banking information, as well as gain control of your smart devices, including smart cameras and microphones. Smart devices such as smart speakers and TVs are entry points for cybercriminals.
If you're investing in creating a smart home, you should also dedicate some time and energy to keeping it secure.
See also: Wiz smart bulbs keep your home safe
Let's look at some tips that can help you in this process:
Configure your router correctly
Your Wi-Fi router is the gateway to your smart home and should be protected from cybercriminals. Creating a more secure smart home starts with router . It connects all of your IoT devices.
Follow these best practices to set up a secure router:
1.Change the default router name
Don’t use the default name of your router, which is usually its brand and model. If this information is revealed, someone can find the default login details and gain access to your smart home network. So, change the name of your router. Be creative in choosing a name, but don’t reveal any personal information.
2.Change password
To make your router password more secure, use a complex password that includes letters, numbers, and symbols. You can use a random password generator to create a difficult password.
3.Use the highest level of encryption
Finally, use the highest possible encryption. If your router only supports WPA or WEP, it might be time to upgrade.
Create a separate Wi - Fi network for IoT devices
Many modern routers allow you to create a separate network for your IoT devices, which can protect your main network from potential threats. This means that other people like relatives, friends, or guests can connect to a separate network that is unrelated to your IoT devices .
Your local smart home network will only be accessible to you. So if hackers manage to infiltrate your smart network, they won't be able to access any of your most important devices, like your laptop or smartphone .
Monitoring your network
If you're concerned about network security, you can use a program like Wireless Network Watcherto manually monitor which devices are connected to Wi-Fi . This will allow you to cross-check the devices connected to the network with the devices that belong to you.
Use strong passwords in general
It's not just the WiFi router password that's important. IoT devices require you to create an account and log in to use them. Typically, these devices have corresponding mobile apps that require these login credentials
Additionally, it is important to create unique credentials for each account and IoT device, so that if one device's password is compromised, the others remain secure.
In this case, you would have to remember many different passwords, which is difficult. A good solution is to use a manager tool password, which can store unlimited unique passwords, generate new ones, and even sync them across multiple devices.
See also: Bing AI: Updates that make it smarter
Disable features you don't use
Many IoT devices can be controlled remotely from anywhere in the world. However, if you only use these devices on your home Wi-Fi, disable remote access.
Also, smart speakers have Bluetooth in addition to Wi-Fi. If you're not using it, turn it off.
Smart TVs have voice control, but many people don't use it. And in that case, it's a good idea to disable the feature.
In the event of a breach, an active microphone can be used to monitor your conversations.
By disabling such features, you reduce a hacker's potential entry points into your smart home.
Enable multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication is an additional layer of security. When logging into your IoT device, you are required to provide an extra code in addition to the regular password you use. This extra code is usually a one-time verification code, which will be sent to your phone or email , confirming that you are the person logging in.
Most smart devices offer this feature by default. If not, you can use third-party apps, like Google Authenticator, to enable 2FA.
Update your devices regularly
If you know some basic security practices for electronic devices, then you will know that regularly updating them is essential. It is possible that updates to the firmware of your Wi-Fi router do not occur automatically.
However, these updates are important for improving the security of your network. To be safe, manually check for new updates every few months. If there are firmware that need to be installed, do so without delay.
Similarly, many IoT devices and their applications don't update automatically, so you need to do it yourself. Don't waste time!
See also: Are smart cities a threat to data privacy?
Use a next-generation firewall (NGFW)
Even though your router has a built-in firewall, it may not provide enough security. This is because traditional firewalls lack important security, such as intrusion prevention system (IPS), malware protection, content filtering, virtual private network (VPN), etc.
A next-generation firewall (NGFW) is a comprehensive network platform that combines the functions of a traditional firewall with other security. An NGFW can detect and protect against cyber attacks. Next-generation firewalls are a fairly expensive investment, but they are worth it. The security of your smart home should be considered a priority.
Besides, if you can afford the devices, you can definitely spend a little extra to insure them.
With the right security measures, your smart home devices can be a safe and convenient addition to your household.
Don't ignore security and enjoy your smart home!
Source: www.computer.org
