Since the birth of IoT devices, we have seen the arrival of various home gadgets including doorbell cameras, data-logging sensors that can keep track of your health as well as smart kitchen appliances. The smart home gadgets are now extending to the most private areas of our homes. Though these smart devices are convenient for us, like operating your home while you’re far, they also bring various security concerns.
We’ve heard of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks in the past, what most people don’t know is that hackers use the Internet of Things (IoT) to perform them. For instance, they use connected cameras, connected smart appliances in our homes and many more. This is why the security of your smart home should be a priority. Here are some of the practices you can use to ensure the security of your smart home gadgets:
Всегда обновляйте программное обеспечение своих интеллектуальных гаджетов
Every smart gadget in your home runs on a certain software version; just like the software on your smartphone. It is always advisable to keep software versions of your appliances updated. A good percentage of manufacturers prefer releasing updates of their software whenever they need to fix a bug or a security patch. While most smart gadgets will often update themselves automatically, basic smart appliances will require you to check for updates manually.
Всегда меняйте пароль по умолчанию на новых устройствах "умного дома
Most smart gadgets usually come with a default password that can be found on their documentation. The smartest thing to do is to change the password while observing the standard password practices. To gain access to your smart home, hackers will always try out the default passwords which are easy to crack. Using a unique password for each smart appliance ensures the security of other home devices, should one get compromised. Additionally, get yourself a good password managing tool to help store your passwords safe.
Приобретайте гаджеты только известных марок
Большинство производителей "умных" домашних устройств часто хранят данные о своих устройствах в "облаке". Это означает, что потребители таких "умных" устройств будут зависеть от способности их производителя обеспечивать безопасность их данных в Интернете. Однако проблема возникает, когда производитель перестает оказывать поддержку. Это может произойти, если производитель прекратил свою деятельность или если у него недостаточно ресурсов для обеспечения конфиденциальности данных своих устройств. Это означает, что ваши "умные" гаджеты будут оставаться уязвимыми для атак.
Only stick with reputable manufacturers, this way you don’t have to worry about the security of your online data.
Подключение только при необходимости
Avoid connecting all your smart home devices all the time. Only connect the smart devices you need most, or need to use at that particular time. Hackers only rely on devices connected to a network, and if yours are, then you put your smart home to unnecessary risk.
Защита сети "умного дома" с помощью VPN
Все устройства, подключенные к Интернету, подвержены целому ряду уязвимостей и угроз. В том числе и возможность доступа к ним из любого удаленного места. Если ваша сеть будет взломана, ваш "умный дом" окажется под угрозой.
Securing your home network with a reputable VPN will ensure the privacy and security of your smart home gadgets. Since hackers tend to attack devices they can see online, a VPN service will help keep the presence of your smart home invisible through encryptions and IP masking. By keeping no logs, VPNs also ensure no one can keep track of your home activities.