You can look up your router’s capabilities by Googling the model number or consulting your menu.
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As you start to add smart devices to your home, it’s a really good idea to upgrade to a router that has firewall capabilities, at least two Wi-Fi bands, and the ability to create a guest network. Again, this is a common setting option, so many modern routers have them, but if you have an older router or an inexpensive model, it may not come with any firewall capabilities. Step 1: Check if your router has a firewall. That often includes a firewall, which you can enable for easy blanket protection of all your devices. How do I protect my smart home devices?įortunately, you have an excellent tool to protect all your smart home devices at the same time without needing a degree in cybersecurity: your Wi-Fi router itself! Today’s routers typically come with built-in security features. In fact, most hacking dangers from a smart home come from a totally different source, usually either an employee of security monitoring companies or a hacked database where security companies kept your account information. While clickbait articles may try to stir concerns, the facts show that smart homes just aren’t likely to be targeted by hackers at this time. Hackers would need both proximity to your Wi-Fi network and the right technology to hack in - that’s not often possible, and public Wi-Fi networks with lots of people on them are generally much more attractive targets.
That being said, hacked smart homes are very rare. More persistent hackers may find ways to control smart devices by using the right account information and brute-forcing weak passwords. On its own, that information may not be particularly dangerous, although it can include security camera video, information about your upcoming events, and so on. Unsecured Wi-Fi networks can be monitored by hackers, which means that the information your smart devices are sending your apps and other devices can be intercepted.
Smart devices communicate via their own protocols (like ZigBee) as well as through your Wi-Fi network. Let’s look at smart home safety and how you can protect your home.ĭigital Trends Graphic Can a smart home be hacked? That’s especially true when it comes to your Wi-Fi network and its settings. You’re not in much danger of a smart home takeover, and smart platforms are getting increasingly safer thanks to important updates - but smart devices are online, and online devices can have some vulnerabilities.