Secure Your IoT

We are connected.

From smart phones to watches, thermostats, appliances, digital assistants, smart locks, home security, televisions, garage doors, lights and on and on and on, we are connected to the Internet. All of these “Things” are sharing information about who we are and what we do. For instance a wearable may track, where you are, your vitals as your sleeping and exercise habits. Your smart locks track when you are home and when you are not. Your digital assistant is essentially listening to you all the time waiting patiently for your command at which point more information is processed along. This is the Internet of Things (IoT).

IoT device makers want to make our lives easier and convenient with hassle-free setups: simply plug in your IoT device and go! The security of information shared through this Internet of Things is not always guaranteed. Because of the wide-spread adoption of these devices and because so many of us are now working from home connecting to business networks, it is important that everyone knows how to secure their IoT.

Secure your Wi-Fi

Most IoT devices rely on Wi-Fi networks to connect. We talked about securing your Wi-Fi in 5 Steps to Protecting Your Home Network, but we recommend going further and creating a separate and dedicated Wi-Fi network for your IoT devices. This provides and added layer of protection along with more possibilities for adding security features specific to the IoT network. Additionally many IoT devices rely on other wireless protocols to communicate such as z-wave, bluetooth, and RFID to name just a few. It is important to understand and secure these connections as well.

Change default passwords

IoT devices come with a factory set default password. Always change these passwords to something unique and strong. Use a password manager to help you keep track of the growing list of access credentials.

Control IoT Access Levels

Many IoT devices are supported by a mobile app. Your smart phone could be filled with apps running in the background or using default permissions you never realized you approved— gathering your personal information without your knowledge while also putting your identity and privacy at risk. Check each individual app permissions and learn to just say “no” to privilege requests that don’t make sense. And…only download apps from trusted vendors and sources.

Keep devices up-to-date

Whether it’s your computer, smartphone, or IoT devices, the best defense is to stay on top of things by updating to the latest security software, web browser, and operating systems. If you have the option to enable automatic updates to defend against the latest risks, turn it on.