Today, Internet-connected devices are not restricted to PCs, smartphones, and tablets. Homes are filled with many smart home devices like smart thermostats, refrigerators, TVs, outlets, switches, doorbells etc. etc. These devices are often poorly configured or insecure by design, and are quite easy to hack, as people generally don't take even the most basic security precautions. And the number of devices is growing, in 2019, it is predicted that 1/3 of people will have at least one smart home device.[1] With so many devices, it is important to make sure that these devices are secure. This wikiHow will teach you how to protect your smart home devices from hackers.

Method 1 of 3:
Before Buying

  1. 1
    Make sure that the devices you buy are from reputable manufacturers.[2] Many of the cheaper smart home devices will be impossible to secure, since the manufacturer won't provide any support for such devices, and smaller, less reputable companies often hire programmers who don't know how to write secure code. The company will then typically not provide any update or support to those devices, meaning that any security flaws in them will never be fixed.
    • When buying a new smart home device, do a search on the company selling it to see if they are a large company with an established presence; devices made by these companies will typically be more secure than other devices.
  2. 2
    Buy only new devices from reputable retailers.[3] This is important because some hackers might buy smart home devices, hack those devices, and then sell them as "used" online, at a cheaper price in hopes of getting people to buy them.
    • If you are buying a device at a store, make sure that the package is sealed, and buy it from a large retailer like Best Buy or Target. Avoid buying packages that have been opened, or shopping at a sketchy electronics shop or pawn store.
    • When buying online, use a reputable website like Amazon. Avoid buying the device on an auction site like eBay or through a small online retailer.
  3. 3
    Check to make sure that the device that you buy allows you to install updates. Many smart home devices made today don't have any way to update them. This is a problem because updates fix security issues that hackers use to gain access to them. When buying a device, check the product's website to see if the device can install updates. If a device cannot be updated, then don't buy it.
  4. 4
    Avoid some devices completely. Some devices that you should avoid buying are cheap alarm systems and smart locks.
    • When buying a smart alarm system, avoid the cheap ones that you can find online. Many cheap wireless alarm systems (and some expensive ones) are easy to disable by jamming the wireless signals from the sensors to the base station.[4] If you want to get a wireless alarm system, then make sure that it has protection against wireless jamming. If you are really serious about security, consider getting a wired system, as these are difficult to hack. However, a cheap wireless alarm is better than no alarm.
    • Be careful with smart locks. They aren't much more convenient than regular locks, and they are much more vulnerable to hacking. Most smart locks were able to be unlocked by security researchers when they were tested.[5] If you currently have a smart lock, then you might want to consider replacing it with a normal lock.
  5. 5
    Read the device's privacy policy. The privacy policy will describe what information a company will collect about you, and how they will use it. Most people just agree to the privacy policy without reading it, but you should at least skim it to get an idea about the information that the company is collecting. If you don't agree with the privacy policy, then you should not buy the device.

Method 2 of 3:
Securing the Devices

  1. 1
    Change the default passwords. This is one of the simplest, but most important steps. Most devices that you buy have an interface where you can access the device and change settings. You typically have to log into this interface with a password that came with the device. Unfortunately, many smart home devices use generic admin passwords like "password" or "admin". These passwords can generally be found in just minutes with a quick Google search. Changing the default password to a strong and hard-to-guess password will stop most hackers. Check the device's manual to see how to change your devices password.
    • If the device allows you to change the username, then do so, as it will make it even harder to hack.
  2. 2
    Update your smart home devices. Updates to your smart home devices will include new features, performance improvements, and bug fixes. Updates will also include security fixes. These security fixes will fix exploits that hackers could use to gain access to your device. This is one of the easiest and best ways to secure your devices. Check your device's manual to see how to get software updates.
    • If there is a setting that allows the device to automatically install updates, then enable it, as this will make things much easier for you in the future.
    • Make sure to also update the apps that control your devices, as well as updating your cell phone and computers that you use to control the devices.
  3. 3
    Change the "wake" words on smart assistants. "Wake" words are the words that you say that activate smart assistants and smart speakers. For example, "Alexa" is the wake word for the Amazon Alexa speaker, and "OK Google" is the wake word for Google Assistant. Some devices allow you to change these wake words to a custom word (or words) of your choosing, for example, instead of "Alexa," you can use "Hey Alexa."
    • It's important to do this if you can because hackers have found ways to use high pitched sounds, out of the range of human hearing, to control smart personal assistants. Some hackers may use this to trick your phone into calling them so that they can record you, or they can use a loud speaker to tell your Amazon Alexa inside your house to unlock your front door or disable your alarm. Changing the wake words will help prevent this from happening since the hackers will not know what words they need to play to activate your device.
  4. 4
    Connect to only secure Wi-Fi networks. Using a secure Wi-Fi network will keep hackers from being able to get into your network and hacking your devices. This means that they will have to come in from outside your network, which will make hacking your devices a lot harder.
  5. 5
    Make sure that your router is secure. Keep it updated and change its administrator password (and username if you can). Also, make sure to disable remote management in the settings, as hackers can use this to gain access to your router.
    • Some companies make special routers that monitor all of the activity on the network to see if anything has been hacked. These routers are especially useful if you have a lot of smart home devices, as it will make these devices easier to deal with. An example of a smart home router is the Norton Core router, which is manufactured by the anti-virus company, Norton.
  6. 6
    Keep your devices physically secure. Put devices in places where untrusted people (a repair person, unexpected visitor, etc.) cannot easily access them. Also keep an eye on these people to make sure they don't tamper with your devices, or steal your stuff.

Method 3 of 3:
Keeping Your Devices Secure

  1. 1
    Keep your devices updated. Check for updates on all of your smart home devices at least once a month, so that newly discovered exploits are fixed.
    • You can skip this step on devices that automatically download and install updates.
  2. 2
    Scan your network regularly. Use a service like the Internet of Things Scanner to scan your network to see if your devices are vulnerable to attack.[6] If the scanner finds a problem, then do whatever it recommends to fix it.
  3. 3
    Replace your devices when they lose support. After a few years, some companies will begin to stop supporting older devices with updates. When this happens, replace them with newer devices.

Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Are smart doorbells, thermostats, and smoke detectors safe?
    Community Answer
    Yes. They are mainly helpful to you because they keep you safe, and they are worth it.
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      • Shut devices off when you are not using them, a device can't be hacked if it isn't on.
      • Make sure that the accounts that you use to control the devices are also secure. Use a strong password and make sure to use two-step verification if you can.

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      • Unfortunately, smart home devices are still a very new category and security for any new device will be relatively low no matter what you do. You might want to consider if you should buy a smart device until the security improves.

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      Co-authors: 15
      Updated: April 6, 2020
      Views: 1,760
      Categories: Internet Security

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