Connected devices and home automation are revolutionizing our daily lives and making it possible to enjoy a smart, connected, and comfortable home. Nevertheless, these devices store a significant amount of information about their owners and private information that can be of interest to cybercriminals.
As a result, taking these risks into account is essential while implementing solutions that will protect your home and your family. Let’s find out what the most common cybersecurity threats to smart homes are.
Threats to Smart Home Security and How to Counter Them
1. Identity theft
Since much of your personal information is collected by the smart devices used inside your home, companies that manage and store this data may be targets for cybercriminals, who will attempt to retrieve this sensitive information about you.
If they manage to hack these companies, cybercriminals will be able to use your confidential information in any way they want, including identity theft.
While you can’t protect these companies by yourself, one of the best ways to avoid this type of threat is to share minimal personal information when setting up a new smart device. In addition, in case of a breach of your data, ensure that the security instructions issued by the company concerned resolve the problem as soon as possible.
2. Intrusion into your home
One of the most worrisome risks when it comes to using home automation and smart devices in the home is the threat of intrusion into your home. You may use smart locks, which allow you to open your door remotely to people you know, depending on the configurations selected.
Or security devices that allow you to monitor any intrusion into your home. While these devices can help secure your home, they too are vulnerable to cyberattacks. These threats could impact the security of your home and property if cyber criminals manage to hack these devices to rob you.
To avoid such risks and to monitor your home effectively, connected security devices should not be the only ones deployed in your home. You can accompany this equipment with a traditional alarm system, for example, the one that will alert you in the event of any intrusion, even in the event of failure of your connected security devices.
3. Tracking your location
Although smart devices are configured to protect all of your personal information, there are security vulnerabilities that could put your privacy at risk, especially your location. The geolocation of your devices can allow cybercriminals to follow your movements, and even discover the address of your home. Therefore, this risk can not be neglected and must be taken seriously.
Here again, various actions can allow you to protect yourself from such threats, including using the fastest VPN. This solution makes it possible to encrypt all of your movements on the internet so that no one can spy on your connections, the device you use, and whatever sites your browse daily.
Also, make sure to remain vigilant against phishing attacks and do not respond to emails that look suspicious, as well as not to download attachments or avoid opening links shared in your emails.
4. Applications or software with a low level of security
Not all apps that allow you to keep an eye on your connected devices, as well as software for smart devices used at home, have a high level of security. Therefore, carefully choosing the connected devices you want to use at home is better than forgetting to update your software and applications regularly.
These updates should be made as soon as they are offered to you in order to rectify the security flaws of previous versions and thus improve your cybersecurity.
