Smart Devices: How to Make Sure You're Safe In Your Home

In the ever-changing world of technology, developers are always looking for something to improve. That’s how our phones went from simple devices that could make a call to small screens that control many aspects of our lives. That’s how we went from having regular vacuums to clean our carpets to having small robots do it for us.

With the increase in smart devices in our lives, it has also opened us up to more cybersecurity threats than ever before. Anything in your home that connects to the internet is part of the Internet of Things (IoT) which, in turn, means you need to take some steps to protect your home.

Defining the Internet of Things (IoT)

Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the various devices connected to the internet in your home that gather data in your home. This ranges from your phone and TV to your smart washing machine and robot vacuum. All of these devices store some amount of information about your life, whether you realize it or not. Your robot vacuum knows the exact layout of your home. Your smart thermostat can indicate whether you’re home or not.

While these things help you in your daily routine, they also expose you to hackers and other criminals if you don’t protect yourself properly.

Best Practices

Despite the threat of hackers and computer viruses being rampant in this day and age, people continue to buy and use smart devices because they make their lives simpler. A majority of these people do so without ever having to deal with a security breach because there are a few simple things you can do to make sure you and your data stay safe in an online world.

Evaluate Your Security and Privacy Settings

Your security and privacy settings are the first place you need to start when protecting yourself online. Every device and app has a menu where you can opt in or out of sharing certain information with various people, usually the manufacturer. Review this menu carefully and make sure that you are only sharing information you are comfortable with.

If you stop sharing information for a certain app altogether, there is a chance that you will not be able to use that app to the fullest extent. That is not always the case, but it is something you should take into account when making your decisions. Most apps will warn you before you opt out of something that it will affect your app usage, but not all.

Only Use Sites You Trust

In the same way that you wouldn’t walk up to a stranger and give them your Social Security number, you’ll want to minimize the number of new sites you visit. There are a wide variety of different sites on the internet, and not all of them are well-protected or made by people with good intentions. These sites might carry malware that could infect your device with one wrong click, so try to only use reputable sites. One way to check is if the URL starts with “https” instead of “http.” The “s” stands for secure and shows that the site has encryption and, therefore, will protect your data.

Similarly to how you should be careful about what sites you visit, you should also be careful about what networks and other devices you connect to. Public networks are a great way for hackers to gain access to devices, and connecting to devices that you don’t know exposes your devices in the same way.

Keep Your Device Up to Date

The internet is an ever-changing landscape, and your devices need to change to keep up. That’s why developers push updates to their apps, and manufacturers release new devices consistently. They’ve either identified gaps that they didn’t realize were there, or new gaps have appeared because things have changed. Either way, keeping up with the updates pushed to your devices and apps is a great way to keep your information safe.

If your device is several years old, it might be time to consider investing in a new one–especially if the developer or manufacturer has stopped supporting your device. Older devices are more open to cyber attacks because they’re easier to break through. In essence, hackers have had more time to figure out how to get through because it’s older.

Now, this does not mean you need to buy a new device every time a new one is released (unless you really want to). That can quickly become a waste of money in the name of protecting your information. But, if it’s been several years since you bought your device, it may be time to get a new one to protect your information and set your mind at ease.