How to Protect Your Smart Home from Cyber Threats

Smart devices for the home, virtual assistants, outlets, appliances, and more, offer convenience, accessibility, and affordability that make life much easier to manage. However, all of these connected devices are also susceptible to cyberattacks. If compromised, these devices can provide hackers with sensitive personal information. To protect your smart devices from cyberattacks, follow these tips:

• Secure your router and devices. When setting up your router, change the administrator username, password, and wireless network name. Enable strong encryption by selecting WPA2 or WPA3 in your wireless settings and turn off the remote management feature.
• Create a guest network for your devices. Use a separate wireless network for your smart home devices. This separation will keep sensitive data found on computers, tablets, and phones safe should a hacker compromise your smart devices.
• Use a different password for each device. Choose a strong, unique password for each device, from smart plugs to smart ovens. This can prevent a small issue from becoming a larger one. If you have trouble remembering all the usernames and passwords, set up a password manager to store them safely.
• Enable two-factor authentication. For all devices, be sure to set up multi-factor authentication that double-checks your identity with a cell phone number or email address. This can go a long way in preventing unwanted users from accessing your smart devices.
• Update hardware and software promptly. When you receive an alert that an update is available for one of your devices, don’t ignore it. These are issued because the manufacturer has identified a security vulnerability and is providing a fix that will keep your device safe. The easiest way to do this is to enable automatic updates for your devices.

Unplug devices if not used regularly. If you find that you are not using a smart device as often as you thought you would, unplug it. When turned off, hackers are unable to infiltrate your smart home device. This is especially important for devices that have microphones and cameras, like virtual assistants and smart door locks.