How you can Protect Your Smart Home from IoT Threats in 2022?

     Our world is becoming increasingly digital as we become more interconnected through a web of devices and technology. This collection of things, software, and services that we interact with on a daily basis is called the Internet of Things (IoT) which are also commonly referred to as smart homes for their ability to automate our lives for us, keeping us out of danger at all times so that we can focus on other tasks at hand without having to worry about getting hurt or encountering danger itself.

As a smart homeowner, you're probably wondering how you can protect your smart home. Here are a few things you might want to consider:

1.       How Can You Secure Your Wi-Fi Network?

Most of your smart home devices are connected to a Wi-Fi network, so it's crucial the network is secured and encrypted. While there are multiple methods to go about securing a Wi-Fi connection, one option is by purchasing a quality router with strong encryption from a reliable brand. Often, due to improper enhancements, some routers have been known to no longer work properly as soon as you try to access them through certain WiFi-enabled devices such as iPhones or Androids. A good alternative that can deliver similar or even better results involves replacing the network name and login credentials with ones generated randomly to eliminate potential security risks.

If your router allows you to set up multiple networks, then you can create two networks – one that's closed and another that's open. This kind of segregation is a good security measure and a good way to secure your Wi-Fi at home.

2.       Shutdown Your Unused Devices

A common mistake that homeowners make is to not check each and every device connected to their network. This way you can turn people off when they’re not needed so you won’t be wasting energy by leaving them on all the time. You may discover some devices such as a security camera for example haven’t been used in a long time and are only taking up space, making your home less secure. Switch these IoT devices off at the wall or disable them by clearing any saved information if possible.

Many smart home devices aren't used regularly but can still be turned on unintentionally. Leaving them active in this state becomes an easy target for any hacker with malicious intent and they may try to exploit the security vulnerabilities of these devices, so make sure you unplug them to prevent this from happening!

3.       Use Dedicated IoT (Internet of Things) Security Devices

IoT devices are becoming increasingly popular, which has created a need for better security on one's home network. To meet this need, many cybersecurity advisory & consulting services have introduced smart home devices that protect the home network from cyber threats such as malware, identity theft, etc. Most of these security devices only work with other smart home devices and they also include features like VPN protection to further ensure improved digital safety of one's personal data.

4.       Regularly Update Firmware on Your Devices

Almost all of your smart home devices run on firmware, which is basically the main software that powers the hardware. Updating this software is important so that you are able to benefit from new features introduced by the manufacturer and also handle any security flaws or threats in advance. Unfortunately, many manufacturers do not make firmware updating one of their top priorities and it's often left out entirely when initially launching a product. That's why it's extra important to watch manufacturer-produced tutorials on how you can apply updates yourself if and when they are available at some point down the line.

Conclusion:

So, there you have it – these were some of the most effective yet not too complicated tips that you can easily apply to protect your smart home from most threats. Always remember – if it seems too good to be true or there's something that raises suspicion, then proceed with caution!