How to Secure Smart Home Devices to Avoid Getting Hacked

Nowadays, homeowners are keen on moving into residential homes that are powered by smart home technology. This type of residence uses internet-connected devices to monitor and manage appliances and systems remotely. For example, smart home security cameras. Such smart home solutions bring convenience to daily living, but it can potentially lead to a major compromise on your security and privacy if not careful. In the context of home security cameras, hackers can easily crack your password and retrieve the footage from your security camera and upload it to the internet. 

Even though smart homes have some security challenges, they can nonetheless create opportunities to make your residence more secure. Below are some helpful tips on how to secure smart home devices to prevent Internet-of-Things (IoT) security breaches:   

1. Secure Wi-Fi Network

Wi-Fi networks are prone to “brute-force attacks”, whereby a hacker collects a small sample of your network’s encrypted data within close range of the router. Later, hundreds and thousands of passwords are fired at that data until one has successfully unlocked the encryption. When that happens, the hacker has your network password and can begin accessing your private data and IoT home devices. 

To secure your Wi-Fi network, change your router’s default password to a new one. Create a password with a minimum length of 12 characters, combining upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols. Generic passwords consisting only of alphabets or numbers will make your home router an easy target for hackers to access connected devices. The longer the password, the longer it delays the brute-force process.  

2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Two-factor authentication, or commonly referred to as “two-step verification”, is a security process that prompts users to provide two different authentication methods to verify themselves. This is to protect the user’s credentials and their resources. 

Every time a person attempts to log in to your IoT home devices, they have to provide additional authentication of identity through a one-time pin (OTP) or a verification code sent to the actual owner’s phone or email address. You can also enable 2FA by using trusted third-party apps like Google Authenticator for an extra layer of security. 

3. Create a Secondary Network for Guests

Believe it or not, that smart LED lightbulb you are admiring at right now is among the common smart home devices that can be hacked. If your work laptop is currently connected to the same network as these smart home appliances in your house, separate the network right away. Hackers are after your home wireless network to steal your private, sensitive data from your laptop. 

Thankfully, most routers allow users to create a secondary network for guests, which can also be applied for smart home devices. Not only does this clear up the bandwidth for browsing and streaming, but it can also separate your connected home devices from your laptops and smartphones which store more valuable information. If IoTsecurity breaches occur, the malware that infects your smart home devices has a lesser or zero chance of infecting the devices on your main network.

4. Replace Outdated Routers

Did you know that routers can get outdated? What has been sitting beside your television set all this while may be at a risk of a security breach. Ageing routers have ageing security protocols, which gives cybercriminals an easier access point to tap into. 

How do you know when it is time to replace your router? If it is more than four or five years old, frequently delivering slow performance due to heat damage to your router’s internal components and lacking in certain useful features — it is probably time to pay a visit to the IT store. 

Smart home solutions can greatly enhance your everyday living when knowing which smart home technology is relevant to your needs and leisure. Additionally, it is good to also keep yourself up-to-date with the latest digital news and trends for safer, smarter tech use. Read our previous topics about Smart Home — “Include a Smarter Home”, “Smart Door Locks” and other CARE blog articles to understand digital technologies better!