Like other IoT systems, wireless home security systems are not secured. Indeed, wireless alarm systems require more protection since they are accountable for the security of our houses and not just our virtual security. It is not enough to get it installed and pick a company to reply to its warnings. Cybersecurity specialists recommend taking additional precautions by setting up a strong password and keeping up with upgrades for your wireless security system. This report provides more tips to help protect your security system so that it can do its job. We also discuss why it is necessary to secure such wireless systems and what can happen if you do not.
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Why is it important to secure your wireless home security systems?
For example, if your unprotected security system is equipped with cameras, hackers may be able to see you and your children, record your conversations, and talk through the cameras’ speakers. Because of this, the attackers may know when you are away, capture sensitive information, and traumatize loved ones, especially children.
In addition, if hackers find a vulnerability in your smart home security system, they can use it to hack your house network and various other IoT devices connected to it. In this case, the hacked IoT devices may be used to collect information for DDoS attacks, inject malicious applications, etc… And of course, the attackers may intercept alarms and even turn off your security system. There are many situations, and what can happen is dependent on which type of devices you have and how small protected they are.
What can happen if you leave your wireless home security system vulnerable?
We feel that the best way to describe the risks users could face if they overlook the safety of their alarm systems is to provide examples of situations that have already occurred to someone. Below is a case that illustrates what can happen to users who don’t take the safety of their IoT apparatus seriously:
A Wisconsin couple said a hacker accessed their smart-home devices and terrorized them over a 24-hour period by cranking up their heat and talking to them through a camera. Read more here
How you can secure a smart home security system?
First of all, you should start looking for the best home security system provider. Specialists recommend the choice of companies that provide excellent customer care, can check your house security system for its weak points, and ideally have no or no additional data breaches. Additionally, users are advised to prevent purchasing used or employed security systems. This is because you can’t make certain that the previous owners have not made any unauthorized changes so as to still have access to it.
Set up a strong password
Default usernames and passwords must be substituted with unique credentials as soon as possible. As you can see, if the default credentials are weak, hackers might already know them or can easily guess them. As a result, the first thing you should do after setting up a smart home security system is to create a unique username and passcode. It follows that you shouldn’t use mixtures that you are already using for your other IoT apparatus or accounts. Learn examples of weak passwords and examples of strong passwords.
Use two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication provides an additional layer of security and can prevent someone from hacking your account even if they know your username and password. Bear in mind that even if you’ve got unique credentials, that chance could be broken or intercepted. Therefore, if you’re able to enable two-factor authentication with your smart home security system, make certain you use it.
Secure your home network
If hackers gain access to your home network, they can intercept a variety of information, including alerts your alarm system can send to you or your security company. But you can prevent this from occurring if you secure your home network with a VPN. Such tools can encrypt data or, in other words, make it illegible. Even if hackers could intercept anything your IoT devices could send over the Internet, they wouldn’t be able to understand or abuse it.
Install updates regularly
Finally, it is essential that you update your security system’s firmware. In this way, you may not only be able to fix bugs or improve the performance of your device, but also eliminate its weak points. Cybercriminals always check whether their target devices have known vulnerabilities. So if you ensure your IoT devices are up to date, hackers may not have the ability to access them.
Overall, there are a lot of things that may be overlooked when setting up smart home security systems. As explained in the guide, in addition to securing your security cameras, you should also secure other IoT devices at home to prevent this from happening. To do this, we recommend using the tips listed in this guide and constantly following the cybersecurity news to keep current with the latest threats and ways to protect your IoT devices.
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