Is There A Reason To Worry About Smart Home Hacking In Portland?

In many ways, smart devices like surveillance equipment and video doorbells have enhanced our security. We can receive notifications when someone comes up our front steps, and we can have video segments sent to us when questionable movements are detected. Having components we may access through the internet warns us of developing hazards immediately. But there is one primary disadvantage. The simple access that benefits us is also cracking a door open for virtual intrusions.

While you shouldn’t lose sleep fretting over smart home hacking in Portland, you need to be aware of the potential safety issue and implement a plan to avoid it.

Ways To Protect Yourself From Smart Home Hacking

Almost anything can be connected to the internet these days - your home defense components, lighting, and even your refrigerator. The drawback is that this produces more avenues for cyber criminals to sneak into your network. That doesn't mean you have to eschew wireless home protection packages or other smart components. Instead, consider these suggestions and do your part to keep invaders off your network.

• Create hard-to-guess passwords: This is a requirement for all accounts, and that includes your wireless configuration. Use lower and upper casing and a mix of letters, numbers, and acceptable special characters. Avoid dates of birth, street names, or anything else hackers might easily figure out. A password fabricator will give you something completely random and a password manager will assist you in tracking your various passwords and accounts.
  
  
  
• Avoid default settings: When hooking up that new router, it’s likely to come with a preprogrammed password to facilitate the setup. Adjust it immediately. Hackers may know these default settings as well. Establishing your Wi-Fi network and new router correctly from day one is vital in keeping you protected.
  
  
  
• Consider more than one network: Why put your smart oven, your home security components, and your home computer on the same network? The majority of routers will let you initiate a different guest network. Take advantage of it and shield private information found on your laptop, desktop, and phone.
  
  
  
• Add protection with a firewall: Firewalls aren’t merely for businesses. They may also be used on home network. Firewalls will watch what’s happening on your network and stop suspicious activity. You could start with a router that offers an integrated firewall.
  
  
  
• Choose the most up-to-date encryption standards and security protocols: If you own a recently manufactured router, you will likely be able to incorporate WPA3, the most up-to-date wireless security protocol. If not, WPA2 with AES encryption will be sufficient. You need to look for home security components that protect with 128-bit or higher.
  
  
  
• Ensure firmware and software is up-to-date: Keep your operating systems at the latest levels for all equipment, including your networked camera surveillance. In some cases, these updates will fix known issues and tighten up your network’s security.

Beware of Lower Quality Smart Home Components In Portland

When choosing a respected company like ADT, you’ll discover that any security vulnerabilities in video cameras or other components are addressed in a quick and appropriate fashion. Other knock-off products might not act in the same fashion. Purchasing your smart thermostat, video doorbell, surveillance system, and additional items from a single source like ADT is a wise choice. And getting all of your equipment connected at the same time will help ensure flawless configuration, security, and performance. It’s also worthwhile to point out that ADT Command, the central touchpad interface, uses two-way encryption when communicating with your connected equipment.

Design Your Own Portland Home Defense Package

Now that you have a better idea on how to keep your private network shielded from hackers, it’s time to begin designing your own home defense system in Portland. The security professionals at Secure24 Alarm Systems are here to customize the ideal package for your home. Call (503) 300-4377 or complete the form to upgrade your home’s protection.