From security cameras to trash cans, our homes are becoming more and more automated with smart home devices. The ability to automate tasks like seeing who is at your front door or generating grocery lists from the items you’ve thrown away allows you to complete tasks or check on your home remotely. With all the latest advancements in smart home technology, it’s easy to manage and access these tools in an instant from our devices. However, with every new invention comes new challenges and potentially new risks to your most prized possession–your home.

As part of our month-long series celebrating National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, SecureData is looking into smart home technology and analyzing our tendencies as users to neglect some basic methods of securing our homes. These methods coincide with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS) recommendations and the US Department of Homeland Security’s “Be Cyber Smart” campaign. Follow these simple tips to be cyber smart with your smart home.

Protect Your Home’s Wi-Fi Access

One of the primary points of control for your smart home devices is also the primary point of access for cybercriminals–your home’s wireless router. When setting up your Wi-Fi network at your home, be sure to modify factory default passwords or applicable settings to ensure that your home and your connected devices remain in your control.

Protect Your Home Device Applications

With most smart home devices comes a mobile application to control it. These applications make it easy to control any smart objects from your smartphone or mobile device. When managing all of these apps, keep the following in mind:

• Keep your controlling device secure–If you use your smartphone to manage all of your other smart devices, make sure that your phone is safe. Depending on the types of smart home technology you use, your phone could be used to unlock your doors, disable security alarms, turn off cameras, and so on. While all of these features make your life more convenient for you, it makes your smartphone the holy grail for cybercriminals.

• By implementing strong passwords and/or biometric entry settings on your phone, you aid in keeping your home secure. Additionally, if any of the smart device applications allow the use of multi-factor authentication, enable it! This extra step ensures that only you are unlocking the doors to your own home.

• Keep the applications updated–With each new piece of technology you add to your smart home, it becomes easy to lose track of all the applications you’ve installed to control them. When you add a new piece of smart home technology with its controlling mobile application, make sure that the application is set to receive automatic updates. These updates may include additional security settings for the app or change the way the app communicates with the smart device.

• Keep the app permissions basic–If you can, limit the app permissions. Many applications that you download will request connections or access to other applications or files you have on your mobile device. Make sure to only accept permissions that make sense for the device you are controlling. If you have a smart microwave, it isn’t likely that the app to control it would need access to your mobile contacts. Only allow permissions that are essential for the application to control the smart device.

Protect Your Home

Taking the time to ensure that each smart home device that you set up is going to make your home more automated, but also more secure, is imperative. Some smart devices that make it easier to secure your home, but if set up and maintained poorly, they could easily make your home less secure than ever.

It’s good practice to check and update your security every time you bring a new smart home device into your house. The physical device is just as important to secure as the apps and phone that control it. While these items make our lives easier, one security breach or damaged device will undoubtedly complicate your digital life.

These devices collect information on you, your family members, and your eating and spending habits. If one of your smart home devices fails, you need to ensure your data is protected. The experts at Secure Data Recovery have experience working on all types of devices and operating systems. We adhere to the highest security protocols and have an overall 96% success rate. Call to start your risk-free case at 1-800-388-1266.