Smart-home devices come with many magical powers that can adjust indoor lights based on daylight, set the optimum temperature in the house based on weather trends and more. There are many benefits of smart home devices that allow one to enjoy a smart home. However, the benefits of smart homes are only possible when the residents confirm the proper security of their devices. There are numerous risks associated with networked home appliances that demand the users’ attention to ensure smart homes do more good than harm.
The Risks Of Smart Home Appliances
First and foremost, smart devices house plenty of users’ data and further share the data with vendors. Many vendors use this data to make money by selling it. The second significant risk associated with smart devices includes hijacking if the user does not keep a strong password to protect the device. However, the degree of vulnerability in this scenario depends upon the device. When a device is compromised, the attackers can infuse malicious code to carry out further a fully-fledged cyberattack which can affect both the computers and devices running on the same home network. It is because devices with the same Wi-Fi share the same IP address. You can use What Is My IP to check the IP addresses of different devices connected to the same network.
As discussed, many risks are associated with a smart home. Hence, smart devices require protection. Here are five simple ways to quickly secure your smart home.
1. Secure Your Wi-Fi Network
The security of the router is a part of the smart home. Thus, it is essential to configure it correctly to ensure the safety of all the devices connected to the internet through it. A simple way to keep the Wi-Fi network secure includes updating the firmware when a new update is available. In addition, the users should block any unauthorized Wi-Fi access. Lastly, the users should change the default username and password of the router and keep a strong password to protect the Wi-Fi network.
2. Regularly Update Your Smart Devices
It is not only enough to update the firmware of the router but also the software update of the smart devices. Good manufacturers regularly roll out software updates to fix the security loopholes in the devices and protect them against new cyber threats. The users often do not receive automatic notifications regarding an available update. Subsequently, it is necessary to check the manufacturer’s website regularly to see if any new updates are available. You can also enable automatic software updates to increase convenience if the smart devices allow it.
3. Use A Separate Network For IoT Devices
It is another practical way to keep the IoT devices of the smart home secure. When isolating the IoT devices using a separate network, you can better mitigate the risk when an unauthorized entity comprises the Wi-Fi network. It can help you to keep sensitive personal data safe.
Many routers allow users to create a secondary guest network. You can use this option to maintain the IoT devices in a separate network instead of buying a new route to create an independent network. However, when using this method, it is crucial to ensure that the password of the secondary network is as strong as the primary network.
4. Create Unique Logins For Different Smart Devices
Many users make the rookie mistake of keeping the same login for different smart devices for convenience. However, it is not a smart move. Creating unique logins for various smart devices ensures that even if the password of one smart device is compromised, the other devices stay safe. Furthermore, the users should combine the unique login credential with unique passwords again for the same reason.
5. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-Factor authentication requires a user to confirm their identity before accessing a device. If your smart device provides you with multi-factor authentication, enable it. Having multi-factor authentication is a smart move because even if a malicious actor steals your email address and password, they will not be able to access the control of the device.
Other ways to provide additional security to the smart devices include purchases from only reputed vendors, regular monitoring of the network and connecting the devices only when necessary.
