Smart Home Security: 5 Things You Need to Do

Home is where your Wi-Fi is

The Internet is now considered to be one of the basic necessities, permeating every aspect of our lives. A typical modern home consists of sensors, security cameras, voice-activated pods, smart lights, and connected power sockets. What’s more, the Internet of Things (IoT) technology has evolved in recent years so much that it is part of the intimate areas of our household - be it tracking our sleep, or wi-fi-enabled juicers and cookers! 

Your home is the central element of your life and connects you with your life outside - be it your place of work, your favorite restaurant, and even the grocery store you frequent. Smart devices collect data and save it to provide customized services. 

Hence, it is increasingly important to secure your data as all the connected apps have your personal and billing information - at the least. Several cyber threats are lurking around the corner as the number of appliances that have our data increases. These shiny and swanky devices bought for convenience or security can make your home susceptible to data breaches, making them new access points for gaining access to your private data.

In addition to your personal data, other threats include denial-of-service attacks and cryptocurrency mining. 

Securing smart homes comprises several basic practices that are universally accepted, which will not burn a hole in your pocket. The first step is to isolate your home network from other networks by setting up guest networks for your smart devices. The second broader step is to secure the access points and data control as one smart device, if stolen, can potentially expose the security of your entire network. 

- Use passwords to lock your devices: Ensure all your computers and smartphones are password protected to avoid unauthorized access in your absence. It goes without saying that strong password formats should be used that are easy to guess with your name or birthday. You can also get strong security software for all your devices. Regardless, do change your passwords every six months.

As an additional step, when you get your router configured,  remember to change the credentials of your router and use WPA authentication to secure your network. If possible, get a router with advanced security features. 

- Ensure your main account is not at an administrator-level: If someone gets access to your main account, they will not be able to make substantial changes without administrator rights. 

- Use firewalls: It is an excellent practice to ensure there is the first wall of defense with advanced firewalls and zero-day attack detection. Although these devices come at a slightly higher cost, they are definitely worth the investment in the long term. 

- Always keep your software up to date: Older versions are frequently updated by the software companies to overcome a weakness that makes them susceptible to attacks. 

- Read the privacy policy: The privacy policy is probably one of the most ignored documents when it comes to apps and software. Similar to signing any legal document, it recommended reading the privacy policy before agreeing to its terms. However, most policy terms and conditions are fine-print, lengthy, and tedious to read. Thus, you can read up reviews or simplified privacy policies online, from a credible source, to ensure you know the minute details of the agreement. You may also end up winning a reward for reading the fine print! For instance, a Georgia high school teacher won a $10,000 reward after reading her travel insurance policy. The company stated that they created a Pays-to-Read campaign where the first person to email them about the privacy policy would win.  

In addition to these five quick security tips, it's prudent to understand that you run a risk if you log on to public Wi-Fi. Use VPNs in case you absolutely need to log in to a public network. Also, once you have secured your systems, make sure your IoT devices cannot access your data or control the network. You must begin by securing all devices, one by one. 

Voice-activated authentication works well as a gatekeeper check. As a precursor to buying devices, ensure you buy only from reputable brands and understand all the security features.