There’s nothing like the convenience of thinking something, saying something, and seeing it done – “Alexa, dim the lights” or “Hey Google, turn on the air conditioner” – but there is also a reasonable concern about whether other people can control your smart home too. Famously, a South Park episode illustrated this issue by adding all sorts of silly things to people’s shopping carts by simply asking Alexa to do their malevolent bidding. So what if someone who knew what they were doing tried to get control of your smart devices? To prevent security breaches in your home network, heed these essential steps to secure your smart home and all the devices within its ecosystem.
1. Update Your Home Insurance
The first thing you’ll want to do when setting up a smart home is to ensure that your actual devices are insured at a foundational level. This means making sure your smart home technologies are added to your home and contents insurance policy. Ensuring coverage for your tech investments is crucial because these devices can represent a significant financial outlay, and protecting them should be a priority. Moreover, adding these devices may even result in a drop in your policy premium. This is because your insurance provider might consider the installation of smart home security cameras as a deterrent for prospective burglars or trespassers. Having such security features in place could make your home less inviting to intruders, thereby translating into perceived lower risk for the insurer.
Smart home devices often enhance the overall security and functionality of your home. Some insurance companies offer discounts or reduced premiums for homes equipped with smart security systems. Consequently, it is beneficial to inform your insurance provider about these installations. This proactive approach ensures you are adequately covered and may potentially lower your premiums, providing peace of mind. It’s also essential to keep an inventory of all your smart home devices and their documentation. In the event of a claim, having detailed information about your devices will facilitate the claims process, making it straightforward and efficient.
2. Only Buy Devices You Need
As much fun as buying every smart device under the sun and watching your home interconnect in all sorts of charming ways, each of these devices adds another risk for security. It’s easy to get carried away with the allure of a fully automated home, but it’s vital to consider the vulnerabilities each new device introduces to your network. A smart doorbell might be an easy way to see who’s at the door, but it’s also a video feed that a wily hacker might be able to view too, or even use to unlock your smart locks. Therefore, it’s crucial to think twice about every smart home item you add to the list and evaluate its necessity and security implications.
Before purchasing any new smart device, conduct thorough research and assess whether it genuinely contributes to your lifestyle and home’s security. It’s advisable to start with essential devices such as smart locks, cameras, and thermostats, which have clear functional benefits and can significantly enhance your home’s security and efficiency. Overloading your home with unnecessary smart gadgets only increases the potential avenues for cybercriminals to exploit. Focus on building a robust and secure network with a selective number of essential devices, ensuring each device is properly secured and maintained. By limiting the number of devices, you also simplify the management and monitoring of your smart home ecosystem, making it easier to spot and address any security issues that may arise.
3. Investigate Security Risks
Not all smart home systems are created equal, and while some offer a seamless user experience with advanced security features, others may harbor vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers. Some smart devices might boast features like a 4K touchscreen, yet these sophisticated features do not necessarily guarantee security. In fact, some devices might have backdoors that hackers can access. Therefore, once you have settled on the features and found the device you want, it’s critical to check its security specifications online. A straightforward way to do this is to search for the brand and model to see what security flaws, if any, have been reported. For instance, the Washington Post compiled a list of smart doorbell brands that should be avoided due to security risks.
When investigating the security risks associated with a particular smart device, pay attention to user reviews, expert opinions, and any safety recalls or updates from the manufacturer. It’s crucial to choose devices from reputable brands that prioritize customer safety and regularly update their firmware to address potential vulnerabilities. Consider consulting forums, tech news sites, and consumer protection organizations to gather comprehensive insights about the security history of the device you are considering. By conducting this due diligence, you can make informed decisions and avoid purchasing devices that may compromise your home’s security. Additionally, consider the interoperability of the devices within your existing smart home ecosystem, ensuring that new additions do not introduce incompatibilities or security gaps.
4. Keep Everything Updated
Hacking methods are continually evolving, and new techniques surface as old vulnerabilities are addressed and resolved. To combat this ever-changing threat landscape, manufacturers must keep updating their devices with new firmware. As a user, your responsibility is to keep your systems and machines up-to-date. Thankfully, this tends to be straightforward for smart devices. Most modern smart home devices offer automatic updating options, which, when enabled, ensure that your devices always run the latest security patches and features. The key is to verify that automatic updating is enabled on all your devices. Despite this convenience, it is essential to remember that every brand and machine is slightly different, so it is worthwhile to check each device individually.
Regularly updating your devices is one of the most effective ways to safeguard against new security threats. Manufacturers release updates not only to introduce new features but also to fix security vulnerabilities that have been identified. Ignoring or delaying these updates leaves your devices susceptible to exploitation. Additionally, periodically checking for firmware updates on the manufacturer’s website or through their dedicated apps can ensure you aren’t missing out on critical security updates. If a device you own is no longer receiving updates due to its age, it might be time to consider replacing it with a newer model that is actively supported by the manufacturer.
5. Upgrade Outdated Routers & Smart Hubs
Your router and smart home hubs often serve as the weakest link in your network chain, especially if they are running on outdated hardware. For example, if you have a Samsung TV from 2012 or 2013, it may be able to spy on you. Years after their release, the CIA and British intelligence released documents detailing a special “fake off” mode on certain Samsung TVs that allowed them to record conversations even when they appeared to be turned off. Instances like these underscore the importance of scrutinizing the security features of the devices you use at home and upgrading them as needed.
Upgrading your router and smart hubs is a significant step in enhancing your network security. Older devices might lack modern security protocols and features, leaving your entire system vulnerable to potential breaches. Look for routers that support the latest standards such as WPA3 encryption, which offers enhanced protection compared to older WPA2 standards. Robust security features such as built-in firewalls, guest networks, and regular firmware updates are key criteria when selecting new routers and hubs. Investing in up-to-date hardware not only improves security but also enhances the performance and reliability of your smart home network.
6. Protect Your Wi-Fi Network
While using a strong, secure password for your home Wi-Fi network is fundamental, advanced measures can further enhance protection against smart home security risks. One effective strategy is to create separate Wi-Fi networks. Many modern routers support creating multiple SSIDs, allowing you to segregate your smart home devices from personal devices like computers and smartphones. Alternatively, you can connect a second router or a Wi-Fi extender to achieve this separation. By having your smart home devices on one network and your personal devices on another, you create an extra layer of security. Even if a hacker manages to gain access to your smart home network, they will be unable to infiltrate your personal devices, effectively limiting the scope of potential damage.
Segregating networks not only enhances security but also improves network management and performance. With dedicated networks, you can better monitor and control the activities of devices within each segment. This separation simplifies the process of identifying and addressing any anomalies or breaches, ensuring that your personal data remains secure even if your smart home network is compromised. Additionally, regularly updating the passwords and network settings, enabling WPA3 encryption, and disabling unnecessary network features further bolster your Wi-Fi network’s security. Implementing these measures builds a robust and resilient network infrastructure that can withstand modern cyber threats.
7. Watch Your Network
Monitoring your network is a proactive approach to safeguarding against unauthorized access and ensuring that only authorized devices are connected. If you suspect that someone has accessed your network or if you simply want to know which devices are connected, you can check this through your router’s controls. Accessing your router’s administrative interface, typically via a web browser using the IP address https://192.168.1.1 or through your provider’s app, allows you to view all connected devices. This interface provides detailed information about each connected device, including the device name, IP address, and MAC address. If your devices haven’t been given proper names, identifying unfamiliar devices might be challenging, so it’s crucial not to disconnect devices indiscriminately.
Regular network monitoring helps you maintain an overview of your smart home ecosystem’s status and ensure that no unauthorized devices are connected. Keeping a list of your authorized devices and their corresponding MAC addresses can aid in identifying rogue devices that shouldn’t be on your network. Additionally, enabling network logging and alerts can notify you of any suspicious activities, providing early warning signs of potential breaches. By continuously monitoring your network, you can promptly address any security issues, ensuring your smart home remains secure and your personal data stays protected.
8. Hide Your Brands
In the event that someone is looking for a vulnerable system to tap into, the first thing they will want to know is how your system runs. When they see the logo on your smart doorbell or security cameras, they can identify the underlying technology and exploit known vulnerabilities specific to that brand. For example, Samsung and Philips logos indicate that your system runs on the Zigbee communication protocols, which have well-documented security issues. To combat this, you can take proactive steps to obscure or mask the branding on your devices. Removing stickers, painting over logos, or even adding new stickers on top can throw cybercriminals off the trail, making it harder for them to determine and exploit your system’s weaknesses.
Obscuring the branding of your devices adds an extra layer of security by creating ambiguity around the technology used in your smart home. This confusion can deter potential attackers looking for specific vulnerabilities to exploit. Additionally, consider placing smart devices in discreet or less apparent locations, making it harder for intruders to identify and target them. While these tactics may seem simple, they can be effective in reducing the chances of your smart home system being compromised. By proactively addressing these visual cues, you enhance the security and privacy of your smart home environment.
9. Set up a Pi Hole
A Pi Hole is an advanced step for those looking to enhance network security further. Essentially, a Pi Hole acts as a sinkhole, capturing and filtering out ads, trackers, and other malicious entities before they reach your devices. This is accomplished using a Raspberry Pi, a compact and affordable computer that offers substantial network protection capabilities. Setting up a Pi Hole requires some technical know-how and time, but it is a valuable long-term security measure. By blocking unwanted traffic at the network level, you not only protect your smart devices but also improve the overall browsing experience by eliminating disruptive ads.
Implementing a Pi Hole into your network infrastructure helps in maintaining a cleaner, safer online environment. It filters out nefarious requests and trackers, providing an additional layer of defense that complements other security measures. The Pi Hole’s ability to block intrusive ads and trackers enhances privacy, reduces bandwidth usage, and speeds up web browsing. While the initial setup might be complex, comprehensive guides and community support are available to assist in the installation process. Adopting this approach ensures that your smart home ecosystem remains protected from various online threats, offering peace of mind and a more secure digital environment.
Conclusion
There’s unparalleled convenience in simply thinking of a task, voicing it, and seeing it done – “Alexa, dim the lights” or “Hey Google, turn on the air conditioner.” However, this ease of use also brings about legitimate concerns regarding the security of your smart home. A notorious example is a South Park episode that humorously highlighted this issue by adding absurd items to viewers’ shopping carts via Alexa. What if a savvy individual aimed to commandeer your smart devices maliciously?
To ensure your smart home remains secure and prevent unauthorized access, it’s important to take specific precautions. Begin by securing your home network with strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication where possible. Update your devices and software regularly to protect against vulnerabilities. Additionally, consider setting up a dedicated network for your smart devices, separate from your main devices. By implementing these essential steps, you can safeguard your smart home ecosystem from potential security breaches and ensure that only you have control over your devices.
