Digital security has become one of the most important issues since the turn of the century. While a significant number of people may associate the hack with large corporations and government institutions, most cyberattacks target small businesses and individuals due to having lesser advanced security measures and protocols.
Smart homes and devices are also in jeopardy and smart home security has become a crucial aspect of personal privacy. Devices connected to the internet of things (IoT) are able to communicate with one another across a wireless network, allowing individuals to use their homes in novel ways.
Without proper security, cyberattackers can gain access to all Smart Devices including Smart door locks, and remotely tamper with your home without you knowing.
Here are 7 Tips to keep your smart home more secure:
1. Keep Your IoT Devices up-to-date
In some situations, a flaw in a device's software or firmware may be identified and an update is required to patch that flaw. If you fail to update equipment connected to your network on a regular basis, your home may become accessible to hackers. The ideal way is to make sure that the device's settings are updated automatically and that you check for updates on a frequent basis.
Automatic installation may be okay for some devices, but it may be preferable to schedule updates manually at a reasonable time for others that are vital to your security, such as a device capable of unlocking a door.
2. Secure Wi-Fi Password
The most basic approach to Internet security is the use of strong passwords. One of the common ways to break into Wi-Fi networks is by guessing easily used passwords. Considering that software and artificial intelligence are developing at a rapid rate, using simple passwords for your Wi-Fi now makes your network vulnerable to hackers.
Another practice is to not use the same password for different accounts and to change it regularly. However, it may be troublesome for large families with multiple people using the same network.
3. Firewall and Antivirus Software
It is not uncommon for unprotected devices to be infiltrated with malicious code. There are all kinds of computer viruses and unwanted programs that could access your system and compromise your security.
It is essential to have defensive software such as antivirus programs and firewalls to protect your device and keep them up-to-date.
4. Router Security
Although many people change the names of their Wi-Fi networks and use secure passwords for them, one access point that is overlooked is the router itself. Hackers can gain access to your network if you leave the default settings, such as administrator usernames and passwords.
The same conservative approach to securing Wi-Fi access should be used for the router password, using a stronger password or a different password from the default.
5. Separate Network
Having a separate network with higher security for IoT devices is a reasonable approach as it provides a network purely for IoT devices which is much more secure compared to connecting to the default network.
6. Device Access and Permissions
Pay attention to the permissions granted to certain devices. If a particular device requires permission to access the information it does not need, turn off the function. It may be a hacker trying to access information or images that could be used maliciously.
7. Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication is an important approach to security by using your phone or a third-party app as an authenticator. In the event that you are hacked on any email, device, or account, two-factor and multi-factor authentication will ensure that no one else is gaining access to vital information or accounts without confirmation from your phone or the phone application used for multi-factor authentication.
Conclusion
It is important to be wary of any suspicious activity or unknown network trying to access your device, keep your software up-to-date and use stronger passwords for better security to keep your home or office safe and secure from cyberattackers.
Not sure how to keep your network secure?
Call us at +65 6262 0402 or email us at care@acebizservices.com to get the information details on your needs.