Smart Home Week
This article is part of TechRadar’s Smart Home Week 2024, where we bring you all the latest news, tips and tricks to help you create the smart home of your dreams.
Your smart home is up and running, you’ve installed some of the best smart lights that blink on a schedule, and you can open your garage door with a tap of your smartphone, but are you confident that your smart home is adequately protected from unwanted visitors?
There’s a lot to consider when securing your smart home, from someone accessing your security camera recordings to your smart speakers being remotely accessed — it’s important to lock down your network from all angles.
But don’t fear: with a few simple precautions, you can minimize the chances of your hardware being hacked and your data being leaked. Here are what you need to do and how to do it:
Steps to keep your smart home safe
- Protect your Wi-Fi
- Set up a guest network
- Update your software
- Set up two-factor authentication
- Delete your information
- Choose a brand you can trust
Step-by-step guide
1. Secure your Wi-Fi
(Image: ©Future)
Your Wi-Fi is the gateway to all your smart home gadgets, so you want to make sure there aren’t any squatters around. From a security standpoint, the good news is that it’s very hard to hack into your network if you’re not within range of your Wi-Fi, so if you’re in a secluded area and there aren’t any suspicious vans driving around on the roads outside, you don’t have to worry too much.
If you live in a place where others can see your Wi-Fi broadcast, The Wi-Fi password was changed from the defaultand Use something that others cannot guess – Don’t use names, house numbers, or anything obvious like “password.” We also recommend changing your passwords regularly.
We’ll cover software updates later, but routers and other Internet hardware devices Install the latest firmware and software updates Updates will be made as they become available – in most cases this happens automatically so there’s no need to worry, but it’s worth checking just to be sure – this will ensure you’re protected from the latest known security bugs.
2. Set up a guest network
(Image: ©Future)
If you have many visitors coming through your home on a regular basis, Set up a guest networkIf your router or mesh system allows it (and many do these days), your guests will be able to get online, but they won’t see other devices connected to your network (such as smart home gadgets).
Of course, your friends and family probably don’t want to hack into your smart thermostat or anything like that, but it’s still a good security measure. There’s always the chance they might accidentally damage something, or that someone you don’t know very well might gain access.
The guest network option should be somewhere in your router’s settings or app (if available). For example, on an Eero system like the Eero 6+, open the Eero app on your smartphone and Tap Settings (bottom right), and Select Guest Access Enable and configure the guest network.
3. Update your software
(Image: ©Future)
We mentioned keeping your router up to date, but this applies everywhere else too: all your smart home gadgets, all your phones, laptops and other devices, and all the software and apps connected to them. If you see a prompt to update something, update it as soon as possible.
Why it matters: Makers of smart home gadgets regularly release new updates that plug security holes and make these devices harder to compromise. The same goes for your phone, laptop, and other devices, all of which could potentially be used to gain access to your Wi-Fi network and everything on it.
Luckily, many of these updates happen automatically in the background. All you have to do is check the process on your gadget. For example, in the case of the Apple HomePod, one of the best smart speakers, open the Home app on your iPhone and tap Tap the three dots (top right), and Select Software Update Check out what’s available.
4. Set up two-factor authentication
(Image: ©Future)
Many smart home gadgets are accessible via the web, so hackers don’t necessarily need to be in your backyard to access them – all they need is the username and password you use to log in. To keep your smart home safe, these apps and login details also need to be protected, and even if you haven’t been tricked into giving up the information yourself, they can often be revealed in a data breach.
One of the best ways to protect your smart home account is to enable two-factor authentication. This is a security feature available on most digital accounts you use, including your Google, Amazon, or Apple accounts. This means that in addition to your username and password, you’ll need something extra, like a verification code generated by your phone.
Check the settings apps for any smart home devices you use to see if two-step verification is available. For example, for your Google Account and all associated Nest products, open your Google Account page on the web and tap Click Security and Two-factor authentication To turn on.
5. Delete information
(Image: ©Future)
We’ve discussed the possibility of others being able to access your smart home data via the web, without having access to the physical device itself, but this is especially true if you store your data in the cloud. It’s accessible to you, but it’s also accessible to others.
With this in mind, we recommend automatically wiping your data, either periodically or after a period of time. How long that period is up to you, and different devices have different options available, but it will lower your risk if your account is compromised or the data in it is leaked somehow.
For example, let’s take a look at the voice recordings stored by your Amazon Echo. Log in Amazonafter that Click Accounts and Lists (Top right) and Select your content and devices. Select your privacy settings and Alexa Privacyyou can review the activity and voice commands associated with your device, and delete this data if you want.
6. Choose a trusted brand
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When it comes to smart home security, you’re often relying on the security measures of the manufacturer or brand you do business with. For example, if you use a Ring camera, you’re trusting Amazon to keep your video recordings safe and to build strong security protections into the camera itself.
With that in mind, we recommend sticking to better-known and trusted brands when buying products. Look for news and reviews related to the gadget you’re considering – articles such as our best home security cameras guide, for example, can help you get started.
Of course, there’s nothing necessarily wrong with buying a smart home gadget from a new company, but do your research: if you can’t find any information about the manufacturer online, it’s probably best to avoid the product from a security standpoint (especially if the gadget is surprisingly cheap).
Final thoughts
It may seem like a lot of information to remember, but once you become familiar with the principles of keeping your smart home safe, much of it will quickly become second nature. If you take the necessary precautions, you won’t have to panic every week.
When adding new devices to your smart home, don’t overlook security. Be sure to give it the same care and attention as your existing gadgets. The larger your smart home network, the greater the potential for vulnerabilities, but it’s just something to be aware of and don’t shy away from expanding your lineup of smart home gadgets.