Smart home automation is one of the most admired and sought-after digital trends triggered and driven by IoT infrastructure. Surely you too would be tempted to have smart devices and home automation to have a luxurious and automated experience.
Indeed, IoT-enabled smart home automation is incredible to provide people tech-driven user-experience. But, it also poses a number of risks.
IoT isn’t as safe as it is fascinating. It can be largely used to benefit humans in a variety of ways, but needless to say that it comes with a variety of risks.
“What Risks?” Well! Let’s get some insights about them.
What Risks IoT House Automation Possess?
In smart home automation, all the appliances of your connection over a single network, most prominently home WI-FI network. If someone hacks this WI-FI network, it opens up a lot of vulnerabilities to access your devices, computers, and personal information. A hack to this network allows a hacker to access each device connected within your networks, such as security cameras, home appliances, and your major security devices such as locks and more.
Cybercriminals can access all the connected devices, and data can be compromised. Thus, the network is termed as the weakest link in the IoT network. Despite these, each connected appliance in your home is prone to higher risks. Hackers leverage platforms such as Shodan and Mirari botnet to scan firmware vulnerabilities of smart devices available in the market.
Moreover:
- Cybercriminals can steal your data or use the data for personal benefits by hacking your routers.
- Hackers can harness the power of your IoT devices for personal usage,
- Cybercriminals can infiltrate IoT devices to harm you.
There are already stories of cybercriminals hacking security systems and CCTVs. It means the risk assessment increases with each connected device in the IoT network. Thus, IoT app development companies assert that having security provisions is essential in smart home automation.
Thus, in this article, we would take an in-depth glimpse at ways of imposing security in IoT home automation. So, stay hooked with me here.
How To Consolidate IoT Security In Smart Home Automation?
Indeed, connected home with smart devices makes human life easier. However, surging usage of internet-based convenience brings a great risk of becoming a target of cybercriminals. The stealing and misuse of your personal information such as banking details, and cameras, microphones can be used to spy on you.
In short, if you are investing in creating a smart home, you need to ensure proper IoT security provision for a smart house. So, here is are the ways you can do that.
1. Set Your Router Precisely
Bear the fact in your mind that your WI-FI is the gateway to your smart home, and any cybercriminal should get access to it. So, consolidation of the security begins with a router that connects all IoT devices and provides their actual value in use.
Here are the best practices you can ensure to set up a secured router:
Alter Your Router’s Default Name
It would be foolish to stick to a single default router name. As it would make it vulnerable. Actually, it’s usually made and model time login and password that anyone can discover and get access to your smart home network. Thus, you would need to change the default name and password of your router.
So, ensure to change the name of your router that mustn’t be associated with you or your home. Think wisely and be creative but don’t use your personal identifiers.
Set A Unique Password
Just like your router name, your default password can be provided and discovered easily as a part of the model and make. Ensure to change the default password, and it makes it considering letters, numbers, and symbols.
Ensure High Level Of Encryption
Another aspect of security is the use of the high level of encryption that is WPA2, WPA3 around the world. If your router supports WEP or WPA protocols, then indeed, it’s time for an upgrade.
Actually, Home routers are a major target for hackers. Thus, you need a secure router translates to ensure more smart home security.
2. Integrated Latest Security Patches
Another aspect for ensuring IoT security is security patches. Ensure that the devices you are purchasing have the latest security patches installed and keep a close eye on open/exposed ports on your device.
It will allow you to have the perimeter under control while security patches will be fighting against the emerging threats on the devices.
3. Have A Separate Wi-Fi Network For IoT Devices
These days many routers enable you to set up Guest or secondary network. It means you can create a separate network for your IoT devices to safeguard your main network. It means people in your home, such as relatives, friends, and guests can log into a network that isn’t anyhow related to your IoT devices.
Through this, you can ensure that your smart home network is only accessible to you and your family. Keeping IoT devices on different networks keeps the network detached; if any cybercriminal accesses your network, they wouldn’t be able to access all the devices such as laptops or smartphones.
Moreover, you can consult with an IoT application development company to get more insight in this regard.
4. Use Multifactor Authentication
Have you ever heard about multifactor authentication? Even if you not, you had used the feature while using net backing. In this process, an authentication code gets sent to your email or phone, and when you enter the code, then you get access.
A similar strategy you can use to ensure a security layer within your network. It will help to keep your data secured and safe. With the use of two-factor authentication, every time a person logs in to your IoT device. They would have to give additional proof of identity via confirming a one-time pin or verification code sent to your email or phone; after its confirmation, the person can log in to the device.
This integrates an extra layer of security and averts unauthorized access to the device.
5. Deploy A Next-Generation Wi-Fi
Routers usually have a built-in firewall, which may look sufficient to avert threats. But! you must know that a traditional firewall lacks important security features such as prevention from malware, content filtering, intrusion prevention system, SSL/ SSH interception, VPN, and much more.
Thus, having a next-generation firewall is essential in an integrated network platform. Combining this with a traditional firewall can provide your network protection from the mentioned threats. At the same time, a new generation firewall includes capabilities of traditional firewall that can turn our helpful in detecting and protecting against cyberattacks.
6. Keep Your Router Updated
Not only are your IoT devices patched and passwords regularly, but also routers, as this is often the first line of defense. Mirai botnet has severely compromised the default IoT password that works effectively.
7. Keep a Global Access Map
As consumers use more connected devices and devices at home, it is important to keep a “global access map” to clarify who can access what. A vulnerability is located near the door or windows exposed to a voice assistant while controlling critical actions, such as opening the garage door or turning on the oven! Thus, having a global access map can help you keep track of everything.
8. Create a separate registered email
Making separate email alias for each registration (despite using normal registration) and use it. Think “least privileged” and give only access to what it needs. Ask yourself, “Do I really need this?” The best defense is “no”. If you want your system to be completely safe, then don’t take it out of the box.
9. Audit The IoT Devices AT Your Home
To ensure better security and safety, you must have periodic audits of IoT devices at your home. It allows you to find glitches within your devices and find points of contraction where a cybercriminal can target.
Moreover, upgrading the software of your devices, such as old security cameras. Besides, you can also take time to check if new models are offering stringent security or not.
10. Disable Unwanted Functionalities
There might be various features and functionalities in your router or IoT devices that you may not need or not-in use. Disable features to ensure that no point of access prone to cyber-attacks. So, ensure to disable unwanted functionalities and unused features.
11. Watch Out For Outages
Make sure that your hardware outages won’t result in an unsecured state for the devices, as this can cause major damages to your application program.
12. Update Your Software
When you receive a software update to your mobile phone, you must install it. It may have a patch for the security flaw. For every solution, software updates include patches for security threats; thus, make sure to update your system software.
Wrapping Up
Following the above practices, you can ensure the IoT security of your smart house. Moreover, there is no doubt that upcoming IoT devices will make your home more automated. They will not just make your life convenient but will also enhance the way you do everyday tasks.
However, the security of data can be a major concern for your house that can be infiltrated by IoT devices. So, you need to consider making precise safeguard provisions. Moreover, for this, you can hire IoT app developers that can create a stringent security system for your house or office premise.
About The Author: This article was crafted by an IoT expert working at ValueCoders: An IoT app development company.