How to Keep Your Smart Home Secure From Hackers?

Smart homes are extremely popular these days.

This popularity is because of the convenience it provides to its users.

Smart homes are very convenient and help out in daily monotonous tasks.

They have a lot of benefits over traditional homes like safety and security, energy conservation, etc.

However, one of the major things that are concerning about smart homes is that they may get hacked by hackers. This could be a major security breach.

Here are some of the ways you can keep your smart home safe from such hackers.

Set Your Priorities

It is necessary that when you choose a smart product for your home you carefully understand the purpose behind buying it for your home. This is important so that you can choose between convenience and ease or security and privacy. So do not immediately rush to the store to get every smart product on the store shelves but instead research and take your time to see if it is helpful for you or not.

Once you dive deep into the specifications you may have concerns like smart cameras uploading content on the internet while providing security to your home. A voice assistant that is constantly awake and takes voice commands can become annoying sometimes. So, it is better to figure all these things out before getting a smart product.

Wi-Fi Security

This is one of the major things that you should take care of when you have a smart home. Your smart home functions properly only if you have a working Wi-Fi connection. Wi-Fi connections can be easily hacked if you do not have security measures in place.

These security measures include first and foremost, a strong password. Do not have generic and basic passwords like “1234” or “admin” because these are easily guessed by hackers making it easier for them to hack your system. Another problem is the SSID which usually comes with a router. This can be easily guessed by hackers so it is wise to change that too.

Secure Your Accounts

Not only are the Wi-Fi passwords important but the next thing to consider is the passwords for your accounts. When you install a smart device in your home it is linked to an app. Each device has its own account. While it may be very tempting to create one password for all of them it is not a wise idea at all.

This is because in case there is a security breach and one of your passwords is known by your hackers then there may be a security breach in all of your smart home security. So, you should have unique passwords for each of your devices so if there is a breach then only one device is affected and not the rest.

Have Two-Step Verification

Apart from having strong passwords, it is also necessary that you have two-step verification in your devices. This involves having a code that is sent to you via text messages or email apart from entering the passwords. Two-step verification allows you to also identify what device and from where someone is trying to access your account in case of a security breach.

Keep Your Devices Updated

Smart home companies are constantly trying to make our experience with devices more convenient, easy, and most importantly secure. This is why they are constantly on the lookout for any potential loopholes in the technology that could cause invasion of privacy.

In case they detect any issue they immediately release a software update and make sure the bug is fixed. However, once they release the system update it is your responsibility to update your gadgets. Remember, these updates are for your help and security so always keep them updated.

Keep Your Router Updated

While we are continuously striving to get better devices while making a Smart Home, we often forget that these devices are functioning via the router. The router in most homes is quite old. While old routers may cause a problem in carrying out tasks they also are a security threat for your smart home due to outdated security protocols. Make sure you keep your router updated and change every once in a while to keep in check with the latest security protocols.

Use More Than One Network

If your computer and microwave oven are on the same network then it may create a problem for you. Computers contain sensitive information which is why you need to take extreme measures to keep it safe and secure. Similarly, with other devices. Make sure that you have more than one network for your smart home. So that in case there is a security breach there are lesser chances of losing sensitive data.

Add a Firewall

Apart from all of these tips, it is also advisable to keep your network monitored. This can be done by taking steps like having a firewall for your network. A firewall checks whatever data is coming in and going out of your system. In case suspicious data is detected it is filtered via the firewall and does not harm your system.

Final Thoughts

Making a Smart Home can be a tedious process however, it comes with numerous benefits. Like most technological advancements this also has its pros and cons. One of the cons is the security issue that comes with smart homes. This can be easily resolved if you take the right measures and wisely plan your smart home before setting it up. this is not only going to take care of the security of your home but also keep you within the budget and later save you energy too.