Protect Your Smart Home
By Robert Hessel
Many people receive smart home devices, such as
the Amazon Echo and Google Home, as gifts.
But if you aren’t savvy about security, you may
not realize they pose security risks. In the past,
if someone invaded your home, you knew it because of a
broken window or a tampered lock. Unfortunately, smart
home technology is creating a pathway for hackers to access
your personal information, even your daily habits, without
being detected.
“If you’re not careful with your smart gadgets, it basically
creates an open door. The good news is it’s not that tough to
sidestep or reduce the chances of becoming a victim,” said Robert
Hessel, CEO at Source 1 Solutions in Clearwater.
Whether it’s the Amazon Echo, Google Home or forthcoming
Apple Homepod, each can be synced with other smart devices
in a home, such as your lights, security system, even appliances
that are all part of what’s known as the “internet of things.”
Besnik Baftijari, chief network engineer at Source 1 Solutions,
says, “While it does make a home more vulnerable to hacking
than one without smart home conveniences, there are plenty
of reasons to buy the technology that will soon be installed in
millions of homes, according to estimates.”
It’s unlikely a hacker will turn off your smart refrigerator
for the fun of it, but an unsecured home network, or one with
a password that’s easy to crack, would allow a hacker to learn
a homeowner’s behavior. For example, when the thermostat is
in vacation mode, where the home security cameras have blind
spots and even a family’s topics of interest based on the questions
the device answers.
New research conducted by Princeton University and published
on the Federal Trade Commission’s website concludes, “the privacy
concerns of owning many internet connected devices with alwayson
environmental sensors remain insufficiently addressed.”
Here are six steps to protect your smart home devices from hacks:
Choose a more secure home Wi-Fi and give it an obscure
name. The most widely used Wi-Fi security protocol, Wired
Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is weak and easily compromised.
Switch to Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) protocol. Name
it something far from obvious that has no connection to your
username, password or address.
1. Use multifactor authentication and complete security
updates. The problem is that most people, when they have
a DIY or do-it-yourself situation, you pull it out of the box
and you get it to work. And then you didn’t continue to
read the instructions on how to properly secure the device,
or you really haven’t thought about it. Experts suggest
using a smart firewall to beef up network security in
case you miss a step.
2. Install malware protection and consider a firewall.
Malware protection is an extra layer of security software.
While the wireless network may be secure, it’s not
protected from various types of malware that can be
transmitted via the internet. A smart monitoring system
is worth considering. This is much more sophisticated
than a simple firewall. This is an actual monitoring system
that will monitor every single device on your network
and block known attempts to try to compromise the
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devices, but more importantly let you know when a
device is doing something odd.
3. Avoid public Wi-Fi. It is essentially the same as leaving
your house unlocked. It basically creates another open
door. While it may seem easier to link up to a nearby
unsecured Wi-Fi, setting up even something as mundane
as a garage door opener will allow an open door into
your otherwise secure network.
4. Keep your devices on separate Wi-Fi from your
computer. If your router can handle different SSIDs, use
one network for a computer or tablet where a consumer
does online banking and shopping and another for smart
devices like an internet-connected thermostat or garage
door opener. You can create separate Wi-Fi networks in
your home to form an airwall, where the two networks
can’t really talk to each other. It’s a little more complex
than just setting up a regular network. It’s intermediate
level stuff that most people with the help of a friend
should be able to set it up.
5. Change default usernames and passwords on devices.
Make sure to change the default factory setting that comes
preloaded on new devices. Change each to something
strong and complex and regularly change them. When
possible, also change the default usernames, which hackers
can easily search online. If not, it becomes easy for hackers
to compromise you or your device, therefore, you became
a victim. Also consider who has your Wi-Fi password,
and change it often if you plan on giving it out to guests.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Robert Hessel at Source 1 Solutions can be
contacted at (727) 538-4114 or visit source1security.com.