Most homeowners are investing in smart home systems as these devices grow more commonplace and useful. Manufacturers rushing to keep up with the automated home market demand occasionally cut corners, leading to poorly secured devices. In the past, this rush has led to terrifying privacy breaches, including hacked baby monitors and surveillance cameras, stolen data, and even identity theft. Homeowners might be rightfully wary of hackers entering their homes via smart thermostats or CCTV cameras, but there are plenty of ways to protect your home’s assets and data. A properly designed home network is the most secure solution and can ensure that your smart devices are protected from hackers while supporting your daily routines. Our team at Connected Living Solutions is here to show you how a home network can reduce the risks these devices might bring.

More Secure Router

Your Wi-Fi router is the digital doorway to your home and the rest of your devices, so it’s wise to invest in one with a good reputation for security. Having a poorly secured router is like leaving your door open to invaders, but just as you can close and lock your home’s door, you can take measures to stop digital invaders in their tracks. Once your router has been installed and updated with robust firmware, we encourage you to change the password and network name. Neither network name nor password should contain personal or family information; they should be complex and include both numbers and letters.

Some routers allow you to use separate Wi-Fi networks so you can set aside one for cell phones, work devices, automated devices, or any combination you wish. Using this method ensures that if a hacker made it into your network for smart home devices, they would remain separated from the rest of your sensitive information. A separate guest network is also a good idea as an extra layer of security.

Tips and Tricks for Security

Although you’ll never be able to fully “lock down” any system, this doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do to reduce risky situations. It’s best to know how vulnerable different automated home devices may be. Outdoor devices with embedded computers, like wireless doorbells, garage door openers, and smart sprinklers, are largely vulnerable due to their exposed position. More secure are interior gadgets, such as smart switches, thermostats, doors, CCTV cameras, baby monitors, lighting systems, or personal voice assistants operable via an app or mobile device. Finally, smart refrigerators and ovens are the least targeted devices but don’t forget to keep these secure as well. You should always weigh the pros and cons before bringing another device into your existing system. Is the level of service and convenience it provides worth the possibility of hacking? As long as you remain informed of the level of security that manufacturers give their devices, you can make appropriate choices on keeping your home secure.

Register and Update Your Devices

We know that unboxing a new gadget is exciting, and you can’t wait to integrate it into your home as soon as possible! However, you should take some security steps first. Registering devices with the manufacturer ensures the software remains updated and equipped to shield against bugs, vulnerabilities, or other security problems. Anytime you install an app associated with your new device, we recommend that you research all the permissions you’re granting, being careful not to hand over unnecessary personal information. By remaining consistent with device and app updates, you’re doing the work to protect your system from preventable hacks.

Remove Personal Data

Smartphone-operated home devices are especially valuable to hackers in search of ways to exploit your sensitive data or communicate with other devices still on your network, and this is important to remember when sunsetting your devices. You might be ready to move on from one of your smart devices, but before you decide to sell, throw out, or gift it, you should perform a factory reset. You can easily find instructions to remove data from any device available online. Resetting prevents the next owner from accessing your personal information, whether it’s a family friend, phone flipper, or a hacker with malicious intent.

Let Us Help

The best decision for your home is to allow a professional company like Connected Living Solutions to handle network installation for you! We design and install smart home systems and networks that are well-integrated and secured. Whether you need questions answered or hardwiring work finished, we’re here to help. Give us a call today to begin!