The era of internet of things and smart home is now well and truly upon us. Learn how you can secure your devices in this guide.
Importance Of Securing Internet Of Things
There has never been a time in history where we have so many devices connected to the internet. The phrase “Internet Of Things” is borne from the rise in everyday devices apart from your smartphone and computer that is now connected to the internet.
You now have smart tavs, printers , network storage devices and gaming consoles all connected to the internet. And we are expected to see a big rise in the smartification of more traditional appliances such as refrigerators and ovens.
That is more data that ever that you do not want to let in to the hackers hands. Follow this guide to learn how.
Step By Step
1. Step
The first step you can take to safeguard your devices is to change your password.
In this day and age – one of the worst things that can happen to you is a hacker accessing your router and changing its settings with now so many devices connected to it.
2. Step
It is also strongly advised to disable any guest settings or accounts on your router.
This will stop any strangers hoping on without you knowing and is an especially important precaution to take if you are living in an urban area.
3. Step
Most modern day routers will have the option to set up something called multiple network SSIDs.
We advise setting up one network for your standard devices that are associated with the internet such as computers,printers and storage devices.
Set up a new one for consoles such as your playstation or Xbox and smart TV as well as other smart devices.
Finally – set up final SSID for any mobile devices. Doing this will mitigate the risk of a potential attack as even if they get through one network the other two are safeguarded.
4. Step
Encryption matters. And you need more than WEP which is easily compromised. WEP may provide a false sense of security and it is strongly advised that you encrypt your devices on a WPA2 encryption.
One thing to remember here is to be clever when naming your network as to no give away any personal or geographical locations in the title. “Living Room Connect” is not recommended for example!
Conclusion
The smart home of the future is both an exciting and scary place. Never before have we enjoyed such a connected home and all the features that come along with it.
However with connection to the internet – appliances in you home are now more susceptible than ever before. You certainly do not want a hacker to gain access to your smart tv,its camera and microphone do you?
To take away these fears simply carry out some of the steps outline above and remember that it is just as important as locking you doors and windows at night!
