Homes are getting smarter.
Smart thermostats. Smart light bulbs. Smart TVs. Smart speakers. The Internet of Things is crowding into our homes, interacting with us and making life more convenient. Hey, who doesn’t enjoy telling the TV to turn on the M’s game and then asking Alexa to order some Rolaids after the closer coughs up the lead in the ninth inning?
But when it comes to smart devices, it’s not all efficiency and ease of use. Internet-connected devices can be security risks. They invite criminals into your home by creating entry points for cyber thieves and making your network vulnerable.
During the week, PUD Information Technology Services Security Architect Kevin Johnston helps ensure the grid is safe and your lights stay on. But at home he has the same job, ensuring his family’s network is secure and information is safe.
So when his son brought home a smart speaker he won as a prize, he looked at it as a privacy threat. He wasn’t going to just fire it up and forget it. Johnston made sure to take all the correct steps so the device couldn’t compromise his network.
“We call these internet-connected devices ‘pivot points’ for cyber criminals,” Johnston said. “It can be an easy way for them to breach the device and take over a network. It’s basically giving them the keys to the kingdom.”
Here are some tips to ensure your home network remains safe from cyber criminals:
Change default passwords. Johnston recommends changing the password that comes with any smart device. Cyber thieves have long lists of default passwords for smart devices, giving them the keys to your device before you’ve even plugged it in.
Avoid common passwords like “12345” or, simply, “password.” Also, skip passwords that relate to your life, like birthdays or kids’ names. Instead, use unique, complex passwords that include letters, numbers and symbols or phrases.
Set up a guest network for your devices. When Johnston hooked up that smart speaker for his son, he gave it its own guest Wi-Fi network. Why? Because if it’s connected to the same network as his computers, then it opens them up for attack if the “pivot point” is compromised. If the smart speaker is on a separate network, you’ve created a firewall that prevents it from accessing your important personal information on another computer.
Along with setting up guest networks for your smart devices, it can be wise to set one up for friends and relatives who visit. Not only can it protect the privacy of your network, it can keep your visitors safe if one of your devices were to be compromised.
Update software and firmware. A recent viral video showed how absurd it can be to update and reset smart light bulbs. In the video, produced by GE, not Saturday Night Live, a woman turns on and off a light bulb 12 to 14 times with varying waits times of 2 to 8 seconds between steps. It was widely mocked on social media.
{}
Though it can be awkward and time-consuming at times, updating software and firmware is key to keeping your devices secure. Updates may contain a critical patch for a security flaw and help keep your devices from being compromised. Device makers often push updates to devices, but it’s also important to check their websites for updates.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
