It’s National Smart Home Day. Are your smart devices secure?

Given the convenience of staying connected to work or attend school remotely, chances are you have at least a few different smart devices in your home. Whether it’s a home security system, smart refrigerator, speaker or light bulb, technology allows these devices to be controlled with the ease of an app.

But like other devices that are accessible via a wireless connection, they’re also vulnerable to cybersecurity and data and privacy risks. Director of Privacy and Governance Risk & Compliance Michael P. Sheron said the risks these devices pose are often overlooked.

“These devices bring undeniable convenience, but they are frequently left open by default to make them easier to set up on home networks,” Sheron said. “As a result, they may gain access to our daily routines and personal moments, often reaching deeply into our private lives.”

November 3 is Smart Home Day and University of Kentucky Information Technology Services (UK ITS) has a few tips to help you secure your smart devices and appliances.

• Manage your device logins with a password manager. Before you set the alarm or change the thermostat temperature, make sure your accounts have good, strong passwords. Android and Apple smart phones have built in password managers that can create unique passwords, store and update passwords whenever necessary.
• Set up multi-factor authentication. In addition to creating a strong password, opting to enable MFA adds an extra security step to your account. 
• Research smart home devices before you buy them. Consumer Reports is one nonprofit that offers smart home device reviews and advice. 

Sheron reiterates this advice — especially when choosing pet cameras, baby monitors and smart speakers — and points to countless instances of baby monitors being hacked.

“Insecure smart devices introduce vulnerabilities in home security, raising the question: how much do we actually know about the data these devices collect and share? The lack of consistent regulation around data sharing has led to unwanted advertising, profiling, and even the sale of our data to third parties,” he said.

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