Internet of things is gaining ground at an explosive pace. Homes and businesses are joining the bandwagon. Tech companies are bringing new products to add convenience, comfort and savings to your dumb appliances. More and more people are realizing the benefits of smart products and the customer excitement is already rocketed.
Today the customer has the luxury of controlling all the connected appliances from anywhere. In the IoT (Internet of Things) world, locks do not need keys, lights have become independent of installed switches, heating and cooling controls does not need your presence, home or business premises are always visible; no matter where you are. The remote scheduling and artificial intelligence is taking the usability of smart products to the next level. All this was possible through fast growing internet coverage, rampant use of smart phones, competitive pricing of smart products and increased customer base who wants smartness in every appliance they deal with.
The established as well as new players are bringing novel products and solutions with every passing day. Customers are embracing these solutions and every day the connected things in your home and business are adding up and they are bringing more convenience and comfort in our daily life.
Connecting your appliances to internet and controlling them remotely is a great convenience but this ease of doing thing can become your enemy if the security aspect is ignored by the user.
The threats of security breach include but not limited to insecure devices, insecure mobile apps and Wi-Fi network vulnerabilities. The smart home developer is always up and doing to secure their devices and apps through pre-engineered software and regular updates through FOTA (Firmware on the Air), once the device has been sold and being used by the Consumers. So, as an end-user, your primary concern is the network in which your device is connected.
As a smart home user, you should never use default factory set password for your network equipment and connected gadgets. You must manage passwords of your Wi-Fi network intelligently and always give them a vague name. Always create a tight control towards guest access to your network. Always create two different Wi-Fi networks if you have a dual band router. Do firewall the network, either with a stand-alone appliance or software that ships with the router, to restrict incoming connections. Do use the WPA2 protocol instead of WEP protocol.
At the device level, security can be ensured through taking a closer look at the device set permissions and making sure they're air tight. Similarly, regular firmware updates are of the utmost importance, as they will keep your devices protected against potential vulnerabilities.
