Smart devices can make your daily tasks more manageable and easy to complete. All you need to do is connect your everyday devices to the internet and you get a very convenient system that takes care of different daily tasks. These tasks include scheduling appointments, listening to music, planning your day and meetings, taking care of the heating and cooling of your rooms, completing other household tasks, etc.
Smart home devices tend to add more comfort and convenience to your life. But where there are all positive points about smart home technologies, there are some downsides as well. Since smart devices use the internet to connect with controllers and smartphones, there is a high chance that your devices or the entire network falls victim to hacking and unwanted cyber intrusion. Therefore, it is a good idea to keep all your connected products in the home safe.
There are many security measures that you can have a look at on different tech and gadgets programs on Spectrum Cable and Satellite TV. For now, let’s have a look at a few ways to keep your smart home secure.
Be Mindful When Selecting Your Devices
When you are just in the selection phase of your devices, you can check to see that your smart home devices have all the security features. Many major brands do not pose a threat to your smart home system in the beginning, but with time you get to see the downside of these devices. When you are selecting your devices, you can look for reviews on reputed platforms. This applies to all reputed brands and also the ones that you are not familiar with.
If it is possible, look for Power over Ethernet devices (PoE) instead of wireless devices because PoE devices are more reliable and secure. Hackers need to pass through your network’s firewall to hack into a PoE device.
Try to Use Two-factor Authentication
Using Two-factor Authentication is just like you have a camera and a biometric verification installed on your door. It is a lot like a secondary password or verification for your accounts that minimizes the likelihood of hackers finding a way to penetrate your smart home system. Even if they get successful in logging in to your smart home system using the right login info, they will still need a special code that appears either on your email or on your smartphone only.
This means you will be notified in case someone tries to change the password, enters your smart home system, or tries to mess with your smart home devices moviesverse.
Change Default Usernames
When you start setting up your smart device, make sure that it is not creating a default username for you. This happens mainly with Wi-Fi routers and other wireless devices that help your smart home and the connected devices perform their function. A hacker searches for the list of default usernames first and if you have used one, it does half of the work for them. Changing the default usernames gives you an extra layer of security and minimizes the chance of you becoming an easy target.
Many manufacturers are creating securer devices. They ask the users to create an account that they can use by using an email address. This makes your smart home devices and the system stay out of a hacker’s reach.
You Should Use a Stronger Password
Since you do not use old padlocks to lock your doors and other parts of the house manually, using a stronger password to secure the entire smart home system is a better approach. The best way to do so is to use a password manager that can help you remember the different passwords you have used for different appliances and purposes.
This will prevent you from clicking on the “Forgot Your Password” option frequently. Another benefit of using password management apps and software is that these apps and software generate random passwords that are very difficult for hackers and other malicious intruders to crack. Password managers keep a check on the last changes you made to your password.
Besides this, you also need to ensure that your passwords are easy to remember and difficult enough for others to guess.
Conclusion
In the end, we can say that there is more than one approach to use to keep your smart home safe. Also, you should check app permissions and updates that are very important to keep your devices capable of defending themselves against hack attempts, malware, and ransomware. Also, it is a bad idea to use public Wi-Fi to access your devices remotely. Hackers and other scammers can tap into the network and get access to your controls and other devices at home.
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