(And 5 Ways to Make it Safer)
All across the world every single day we hear new tales about internet security; this person has been hacked, that information has been leaked, this person hacked that company – thousands of people at a time can be exposed when computer systems go haywire. With technology continually moving forward in the current digital age and a trend for every single item we own to be infused with Wifi – it’s time we started looking at exactly how safe it is to own a Smart-home. Is it secure? Is it hackable? How do you protect yourself? Well read on and find out.
Internet hackers are ingenious, there is no denying it. If they are able to hack places like the Pentagon – do you really think they couldn’t get into your home if they wanted to? If you have enough gadgets and a front door that’s connected to Bluetooth then the robbers might even walk right in! Everything digital is watchable, every app you open has the potential to be a phishing scheme, or to be watched from a remote location somewhere. How do you stop yourself becoming a victim? Here are five tips designed to help you negotiate the digital age.
- Have strong Passwords: Having the password ‘1234’ just doesn’t cut it anymore. You should also avoid the words ‘God’ and ‘Guest.’ Think hard, make it something memorable, add in at least two numbers and make sure you use two-step authentication wherever possible. It’s a bit of a pain but it helps to protect you. Make sure you change the passwords from the factory settings on all devices.
- Invest in a router with a good track record for security: This goes for other devices too. Cheaper, lesser-known companies may seem like a good deal but their security is often untested. Don’t be caught out.
- Lock away the controls: Like anything else, you shouldn’t really advertise that you have a Smart-home. Hide the devices in drawers when you have untrusted or unknown guests and don’t take any chances.
- Keep everything update-to-date: Keep all of your devices up to date. Not updating can leave you exposed and vulnerable to bugs and hacks that have been fixed or protected against in the newer versions.
- Hide your network: Put all of your home devices on the same network and then hide it through your routers settings. If you are invisible on the web they cannot find you to attack you.
If you follow all of the above rules then you ought to be fairly well protected. Remember to change your password regularly and to keep everything up to date and you should be just fine! Remember not to advertise that you have a Smart-home and keep yourself hidden while online, in that way you will be as safe as it is possible to be, and hopefully your home security will be just fine!
