10 Ways to Secure IoT Devices In Your Home

The Internet of Things, or IoT, is a general term for a group of objects or physical objects with software, sensors, processing ability, and any technology that enables them to exchange data and connect with other systems or devices over other communication networks and the internet. There are various types of IoT devices, including smart fire alarms, smart door locks, medical sensors, smart security systems, etc. Since IoT only requires the device to be individually connected to any network and addressable. This poses a security risk, so how do you protect your home’s IoT devices? Ten ways how to secure your home IoT devices include: 

• Change the Default Settings and Passwords
• Use Multi-Factor Authentication
• VPN
• Keep Software Updated
• Use a Strong Wifi Encryption
• Network Segment Your IoT Devices
• Protect Your Home
• Protect Your Business
• Protect IoT Devices Against Potential Cyber Attacks
• Monitoring Network Activity

Since the main purpose of IoT is to link various devices to work harmoniously, it is in a constant cycle of being updated and shared. It is a huge security risk since the devices are at constant risk of being breached and your data stolen. Trafficking of data is a lucrative money-making business globally though it is illegal. 

With there being over five billion IoT devices in use all over the world. The value of data has surpassed that of oil to become the earth’s most valuable asset. You may be wondering how to protect your home IoT devices. Secure IoT devices are really important when it comes to data security. Such data is sensitive since someone can even gain access to your home appliances and enter your house easily without your knowledge.

So, now that you have an idea of what IoT is and how to secure your home IoT devices, let’s examine each one of these ten ways in more detail.

1. Change Default Settings and Passwords

When setting up any new IoT device, it is always key to disable features you do not need. Some features can pose a great risk. It would help if you also changed the passwords since most devices have weak default passwords. You should also routinely change your passwords to increase security.

Some devices come with a default remote access feature. It is a huge risk and keeps your devices easier to gain unwanted access to and puts you at risk. You should ensure you disable this feature. It is an essential step on how to protect IoT devices. It will put you a step ahead in terms of data security.

2. Use Multi-Factor Authentication

It works by verifying your log-ins with a confirmation of your identity. It does this by sending a text message with a verification code to the number registered on the application you wish to gain access to. The code is randomly generated to prevent one from guessing a code, so you cannot gain access if you are an imposter in the account. 

Most hackers cannot bypass the two-phase authentication process. Once they encounter this, they call it quits and move on to their next intended victim.

3. Use a VPN

Using a VPN is among the most secure way to protect your data. You may ask yourself, how can I protect my IoT devices at home? The use of a secure VPN is the answer to your troubles. 

Since the router is the main source of connection in your home system, you only need to install a suitable router VPN like VeePN; when it gains access to your router, it will have access to all the devices connected to it. So VPN on the router should be the first step you take to protect your IoT devices. 

You first have to find a suitable VPN for the router. There are various VPN apps available; find one that best conforms to your router. If you are pleased, you install the VPN router of your choice. Some VPNs have premiums so that you can gain access to additional features. But you do not need to worry since most VPNs are free.

4. Keep Software Updated

Software updates are important to ensure you are safe from hackers. Running on old, outdated software is a big liability since hackers can easily find loopholes in outdated software. Software updates ensure you get the latest security patches to ensure your data is safe. 

The use of outdated software introduces chances for vulnerability to attacks and threats. Most security software and applications have constant updates that offer security patches to combat new threats. All you are required is to ensure you regularly check for updates.

5. Use Strong Wi-Fi Encryption

Your router is like a gateway to many appliances and IoT devices connected to your network. If the Wi-Fi encryption is weak, you are more prone to attacks. 

Routers generally come with a default password from the manufacturer; ensure you immediately change this password to something unique and long. A strong password should combine upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. 

You should refrain from using birthdates, pet names, or nicknames in the combination; if you do, you will leave the network exposed to attacks. It would help if you made this combination as unique as possible. Ensure you use a router with WPA2 encryption. If yours does not support it, you should consider upgrading.

6. Network Segment Your IoT Devices

It is a clever hack you can use to improve your security and make managing your IoT devices easier. You separate the devices into pools, each with a collection of different devices. All data is restricted to each pool. The trick will prevent unwanted data access even if a smart device is compromised; you will not lose all your data at once.

7. Protect Your Home

If you have ever wondered how can I protect my home devices? We have the solution here. Segmentation in a smart home network can greatly help protect your home. Creating a guest user feature on your router can let you give guests Wi-Fi access and still not give them access to the main account. So you can still maintain the privacy of the main network on which the home relies on.

8. Protect Your Business

A business needs a much more advanced level of security protection. Cyber attacks on business security mainframes are much more normal nowadays. IoT devices in a business are a huge security risk today. You must take the necessary precautions if you are using one. 

User access management and high levels of network segmentation should be used to manage a business’s IoT and network setup. But it requires using security tools such as firewalls, configured virtual local area networks, and documented segmentations. Such software and level of security do not come cheap. Business security setup can be very costly.

9. Protect IoT Devices Against Potential Cyber Attacks

You do this by ensuring you disable default IoT features you do not require. You should also ensure you change the password of every IoT device to a unique, more secure one. It will go a great way in making sure you do not fall prey to cyber-attacks. It will keep your network more secure and safe. Does the following information answer the commonly asked questions by IoT device buyers on how do I keep smart devices safe?

10. Monitoring Network Activity

You can also keep a keen watch on your network’s activity. Network security tools have features that let you identify and track unusual traffic activity that could indicate a potential network breach or attack. 

There is a big increase in monitoring tools that are available for use in this modern day. You can even use this on your smart home. The tool also allows you to review the performance of your network. It will even allow you to gauge your Wi-Fi speeds and solve problems when needed. Forgotten streaming services and background downloads can take up a lot of bandwidth, slowing your internet connection. These tools will help you in identifying such problems.

Conclusion

Securing your IoT devices is critical to the security of your home and family. We hope that you have a better understanding of how to maintain the proper security of your home IoT devices after reading this post. However, while we have outlined some basic steps that you can take to secure your home IoT devices, it is important to remember that these are just the beginning. Stay vigilant and keep up with the latest security news so that you can protect your home and family from harm. Thanks for reading!