Smart home technology is more popular than ever. According to Mordor, the US smart home market is expected to reach $50 billion by 2026. Smart light bulbs, assistants, and thermostats can make life easier and save on energy bills, though upfront costs can be more than four times their non-web-connected counterparts. According to NerdWallet, installing and maintaining smart security systems can also save consumers money by reducing homeowner’s insurance premiums by 13 percent.
Smart home security systems are designed to be easy to install, even if you are not a tech expert.
“There are so many companies, there are so many products, and it’s really been a race to make them easy for the average consumer to pick up, go home, plug them in, and plug them in,” says editor Jason Heiner. do – President of ZDNet
But there are some important security tips to keep in mind:
Create strong passwords
Change the device’s default passwords and make sure the email or business accounts controlling the devices are also strong.
“Many times the password to the router is admin and password 123 or something very simple,” says Hiner. “You want to make sure you change that. It’s very important otherwise someone can easily hack your system.”
A password of 12-16 characters is best. Use a phrase by putting the month, date, and year in an unusual order, or mix up important dates like a pet’s birthday.
Keep your home Wi-Fi secure
Keep your smart devices in the main home account and don’t let visitors use it. Many Wi-Fi routers allow you to create a guest account with a separate username and password to connect to the Internet. When visitors connect to your main Wi-Fi, they carry your network information with their devices, potentially compromising the security of your network.
“If they go to an Internet cafe, every one of your friends, family, and neighbors who connect to your Wi-Fi is potentially broadcasting your security, your very sensitive security information, wherever they go,” Hiner says.
Be careful of devices with WiFi connected to the Internet
Many new appliances, from faucets to instant dishes and microwaves, have Wi-Fi. But Hiner says just because something can connect to the Internet doesn’t mean you should, especially if you’re unlikely to control it through a connected app.
“If you’re not really going to use it in any way, or if it’s not useful in any way, don’t plug it in — because anything that’s plugged in is potentially something that can be attacked,” Hiner says. “If it has a vulnerability or a default password that you don’t even know about, it could be a way for someone to attack your network and potentially compromise everything else.”
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