ADT® Authorized Dealer Serving Buffalo & Surrounding Areas
December 05, 2022

Should You Worry About Smart Home Hacking In Buffalo?

In many ways, smart tools like security cameras and video doorbells have made our lives more secure. We are able to receive notifications whenever a stranger walks up to our front steps, and we can have video segments sent to us when dubious activity is detected. Having devices we can interact with over the internet advises us to potential threats instantly. But there is one chief downside. The access we enjoy is also creating a pathway for hackers.

While you shouldn’t lose sleep fretting over smart home hacking in Buffalo, you need to be cognizant of the risk involved and take action to circumvent it.

Ways To Protect Yourself From Smart Home Hacking

It’s amazing how the internet has influenced our daily lives as seemingly everything is accessible remotely, including your security components, smart televisions, and even your oven. The issue is that this produces more opportunities for virtual villains to break into your network. That doesn't mean you have to eschew wireless home protection packages or other smart devices. Alternatively, abide by these suggestions and do what you can to keep invaders off your network.


  • Use hard-to-crack passwords: This is a requirement for all accounts, especially your home Wi-Fi. Use upper and lower casing and an assortment of numbers, letters, and special characters. Avoid birthdays, anniversaries, or other things hackers could easily determine. A password generator will supply you with something completely random and a password management tool can assist you in tracking your many accounts and passwords.


  • Change default settings: When you first unbox your new router, it’s likely to come with a preprogrammed password to help you get started. Adjust it immediately. Hackers may be aware of these default passwords too. Configuring your wireless network and new router properly from day one is vital in keeping you protected.


  • Set up separate networks: Why put your smart oven, your security devices, and the laptop you use for work on the same network? Many routers will let you set up a different guest network. Be sure to use it and safeguard private information found on your desktop, laptop, and phone.


  • Add protection with a firewall: Firewalls aren’t only for commercial networks. They might also be used on home network. Firewalls are able to pay close attention to your network’s traffic and block questionable activity. You could begin with a router including an integrated firewall.


  • Choose the latest encryption standards and security protocols: If you’re using a recently manufactured router, you might be able to utilize WPA3, the latest wireless security protocol. If that’s not an option, WPA2 with AES encryption is still a good choice. You need to look for home security devices that use 128-bit encryption or higher.


  • Ensure firmware and software is current: Keep your firmware and software on the most recent version for all components, and that includes your networked camera surveillance. Many times, these updates will fix known issues and bolster your network security.
 

Be Cautious of Lower Quality Smart Home Equipment In Buffalo

Respected brands like ADT and Amazon have reputations to maintain and will quickly make an effort to rectify a security flaw in their equipment. Other off-the-shelf options may not be quite as diligent. Getting your video cameras, smart thermostat, video doorbell, and other items from a single supplier like ADT is a wise choice. And having all of your systems connected simultaneously will go a long way to ensuring flawless configuration, performance, and security. It’s important to note that ADT Command, the central touchpad interface, uses two-way encryption when interacting with your smart devices.

Request Your Own Buffalo Wireless Home Security Package

As you now have a better idea on how to keep your wireless network shielded from hackers, It’s the right moment to start on your own home defense system in Buffalo. The security professionals at Secure24 Alarm Systems are here to create the perfect package for your home. Call (716) 219-8231 or fill out the form to get started.