How to Protect Your Smart Home From Hackers
In today’s digital world, everything from your lightbulbs to your locks, your TV speakers to even your car, can be connected to the internet and controlled by a handheld device. While these devices add convenience, smart home devices also bring unique cybersecurity dangers. The main issue? The more devices you have connected to the internet the easier it is for cybercriminals to hack these interconnected devices.
The latest newsletter from SANS Institute offers advice on how to avoid being susceptible to attacks on smart home devices. Here are some ways to protect yourself from hackers targeting smart devices:
- Connect only what you need and remember what is connected. Know that the most secure devices are those not connected to the internet.
- Keep your devices up to date because having updated software is critical for security.
- Make your passwords unique and strong, and turn privacy options on to limit the amount of information that is shared.
- Buy from vendors you know and trust. It’s important to look into companies that have reliable security support.
- Remember that if a device can take commands, it’s always listening (think Amazon Alexa or Google Home).
- Consider putting devices on a guest network instead of your home network. If there are any infected devices, they won’t impact your home network.
As always, check back next month for more cybersecurity tips!
