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BEST 10 Tips to Secure your Smart Home Devices

by Cyberguy | Last Updated | June 14, 2022
CyberSecurity - Consumer|CyberSecurity Insights

Smart devices are everywhere and rapidly becoming ubiquitous in our lives. Our homes are now full of smart devices. From smart TVs and thermostats to baby monitors and smart speakers. They bring convenience to our lives and we are becoming increasingly dependent on them. They can make our lives better, but they can also make our homes and digitally connected lives vulnerable to attacks by cybercriminals. That’s why it is more important than ever to have a plan to defend against such threats.

In today’s digitally connected world – if you connect it … you need to protect it.

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Your smart home and its devices are at risk

Internet of Things (IoT) – IoT devices, which include everything from a smart fridge or smart washing machine to a smart speaker, create new targets for hackers and bad actors to exploit.

A hacker could do a lot of things if they gain access to one or more of your smart home devices. Here are just a couple of examples.

These just touch the surface. Even connected lightbulbs, equipped with infra-red sensors, are now being exploited. Scenarios like these raise alarm bells and represent just a sampling of the security issues smart devices and smart homes face.

Why are smart devices and smart homes vulnerable?

Turns out that security is not a top priority for many of the smart device and smart home IoT device makers. Devices like home routers, security camera, doorbell cameras and connected lightbulbs, have minimal if any built-in security features. This makes them highly susceptible to being compromised and infected with malware (malicious software).

The other noteworthy point is that security has not been a top priority of smart device and IoT manufacturers. Manufacturers may change going forward as the market demands it, but currently, things are still weak. Examples of poor device security include.

Securing your smart devices starts with securing your home’s network

Every home with smart devices has a network (likely a wi-fi network) which your smart devices connect to and through which they connect to the internet. Home networks are built with one or more wi-fi routers. The router is the digital “front-door” to your smart home and like the front door of your house it needs to be tough and protected with locks to keep unwanted actors from entering.

A secure smart home starts with a properly configured wi-fi router. It is the foundation of a smart network and enables all your devices to connect to each other and to the internet.

Home Networks - Secure Your Wifi

Many people use the router provided by their internet service provider (ISP) and in most cases that is fine. But it is recommended, whether the ISP supplied router or one of the many you can acquire in the marketplace, the default settings should be reviewed and change where necessary. A secure router is the basis of a sound and secure smart home.

You can take many other steps to ensure your devices and home network are secure and protected against the evil intentions of cybercriminals.

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We have collated the 10 BEST tips for securing your home’s smart devices and building a genuinely secure smart home.

  1. Modify the wi-fi router name & turn off broadcasting it

Router Configuration Illustration

Most routers are configured with default names that indicate their make/model; leaving it as the manufacturer’s default can allow a potential attacker to identify the type of your router and possibly exploit any known weaknesses to gain access to your network. All wi-fi routers enable their name to be changed and disable the public broadcasting of that name. It is possible that if you are using an ISP-supplied router, they may lock down such changes. If that is the case, you may have to ask them to make the change on your behalf.

At a minimum change your router’s name (known as the SSID) to something unique and consider disabling the public broadcasting of the SSID. A unique name will limit exposure of personal info about you or the router details. Disabling  SSID broadcasting will make it more challenging for attackers to find your network.

  1. Change the Router’s Default Username & Password

Most routers are configured from the manufacturer, or supplied from an Internet Service Provider (ISP), with a default username and password for the router’s admin user.

In the case of a router from a router manufacturer, the default usernames and passwords are published on the internet or known to cybercriminals because it’s been mentioned in a forum. Default values are also documented in the manufacturer’s install guide. Bottom line … hackers know the default values, and they also know that most people don’t change the defaults. It makes these routers and the users who have them and didn’t change the defaults. Easy targets for them to exploit.

Don’t be a victim. Change the router admin user’s username and the admin password to something strong.

  1. Configure your router to use wi-fi encryption

Modern wi-fi routers support encrypting all traffic between it and the devices that connect to it. Ensure that your router and the devices connected to it are using (wi-fi Protected Access) WPA2 or preferably WPA3. It is a configuration option on all modern routers and wi-fi enabled devices.

Use Strong Wifi Encryption

  1. Set up a separate network for your IoT and smart devices

Separation and containment strategies are the gold standard in cybersecurity for creating secure networks. Most modern wi-fi routers support creating multiple networks, and we would highly recommend that you have a minimum two (2) separate networks. One is for your home IoT/smart devices and one that you use for connecting devices (laptops, smartphones) that may contain sensitive data or connect to confidential sites like banks.

Home Guest Network

Creating separate networks means that if one of your home’s IoT or smart devices is somehow compromised, the hackers still won’t be able to access your sensitive data on your computer or phone.

  1. Use Firewalls

In any home network, you can have multiple firewalls enabled. Firewalls can block malicious traffic from entering your home network or entering a specific device. They also will alert you to potentially dangerous activity. Most newer wi-fi routers have firewalls built-in, as do many smart devices. Most smartphones, tablets, and computers also have built-in firewalls. Where a device doesn’t have a built-in firewall, most antivirus/antimalware software suites you should install on your devices will include a firewall.

Next Gen Firewall Illustration

Firewalls control the doors that you open or close to let data flow in and out of your network and your devices. Even the default settings increase your security exponentially vs not using firewalls. {add a link to a future article on firewall configurations)

  1. Use a strong and unique password on each device

Every IoT/smart device is shipped with default usernames and passwords from the manufacturer. Cybercriminals know these defaults and exploit them because many users never change them.

Time to Crack Password

Don’t be a victim. Change every device to have a unique username and password. Use strong passwords– alphanumeric and special characters, twelve (12) characters or longer. Make sure NOT to use the same password twice because if one device password is cracked, the first thing hackers do is use that same password to break into other devices. You increase your security and limit your vulnerability by using unique passwords across all your devices. Use a password manager when you keep track of all your passwords.

  1. Use Multi-Factor Authentication when its available

Cybercriminals have gotten pretty good at figuring out and breaking passwords. To combat that multi-factor authentication (MFA) was developed to make it more difficult for them to access devices and apps.  The most common MFA is two-factor (2FA) authentication.

Two Factor Authentication Illustration

2FA has an additional step – for example, having a one-time pin (OTP) – sent to your phone or email, and you enter after your password to confirm your identity. If your IoT or smart device or your app offers 2FA, always use it.

  1. Always keep your devices updated

One of the primary threats we all face from cybercriminals is them exploiting old vulnerabilities in our devices and applications. They know many users do not keep their devices or their software current with the latest patches. Users forget, get busy, don’t know they should be updating regularly, or maybe just lazy. Regardless of why hackers know this is happening. They focus their attacks on devices and apps they know have not been updated.

Many of the updates or patches that device and app makers release are to fix security vulnerabilities. If you are not keeping your IoT and smart devices up to date, you increase the likelihood you will be infected.

When your device or app maker notifies you of an update or a patch, don’t put it off. If your device allows automated updates – turn that feature on. If your device maker doesn’t notify you of updates or patches or if the device or app does not automatically download and apply them, check their websites regularly to see if they have any available.

Home Network Update Firmware

Apply updates and patches regularly to stay safe.

  1. Avoid using Public wi-fi for accessing your home network or devices

Public wi-fi networks like those in airports and cafes are cybercriminals’ favorite hangouts. These are some of the least secured networks and can be a treasure trove for hackers and bad actors to accumulate enormous amounts of information about users connecting to and through those networks.

Always assume a Public wi-fi network is unsafe and that any data you send over it can be collected. Do not connect to your smart home through it unless you are using an encrypted link such as one you can get by using a virtual private network (VPN).

  1. Turn off smart device features you don’t need

There is a concept in cybersecurity called ZERO-TRUST. Its premise is that when configuring a network, an app, or a device, you set it up with the most security possible. Then you only open up or provide the specific access you require to do something – talk to a particular service (i.e. Netflix) or send data to a particular site (i.e. your bank).

By default most IoT/smart devices are configured to send all types of data. A key recommendation is to configure your smart devices only to do the actions you want them to do and turn off everything else. This strategy lets you use these devices the way you want and limits your exposure to cybercriminals that compromise your device through features you don’t even use.

 

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