FOUR STEPS TO BUILDING A SMART HOME
By Sean Dinsmore
S
mart homes are a big deal these days. And while smart home devices are incredibly
appealing to buyers, they can also be particularly susceptible to security breaches. Here’s
what you need to know about this technology so you are protected.
What Are Smart Homes, and Why Are They So Great?
Smart homes come equipped with electronic devices that are connected to a Wi-Fi or
Bluetooth network, meaning you can automate them and control them remotely. Think
lightbulbs you can program to always turn on at a certain time or security cameras you can
tap into from your phone. Smart home devices make everything a little more convenient:
Brewing your coffee before you wake up, or letting you screen visitors through your door-
bell camera without getting up off the couch. They can even reduce monthly energy costs
by optimizing lighting or water temperatures based on usage.
What Are the Risks?
Smart homes take all these different devices—your television, your microwave, your
voice-command system—and connect them to each other through a smart hub (either
a physical box in your house, or an Internet-connected app you use to program your
devices). That may be convenient, but it is also easier for someone to hack into your hub
and from there, access everything. Plus, smart hubs don’t typically have the best built-in
security protocols. Many have default passwords that are easy to guess, or they use weak
encryption that fails to protect personal information. So if you ignore your smart home
security, you could wind up in a situation in which someone hacks into your smart hub,
gains remote access to your smart locks and breaks into your house while you’re away;
locking the door behind them so no one’s the wiser. Thankfully, people are beginning to
take smart home security much more seriously than when these devices fi rst appeared
on the market. California’s new law, SB 327, requires smart device manufacturers selling
products in California to design their connected gadgets with security features that prevent
breaches or tampering. But it’s always a good idea to take precautions.
Top Producing Team
Gilroy Intero, 2015-2018
Sean Dinsmore, Realtor
Intero Real Estate Services
www.TheDinsmoreTeam.com
408.710.2855
DRE #01966405
How to Keep Smart Home Devices Secure
1. Change the default passwords. Smart home devices often come with default passwords
(like “1234”) that hackers can easily guess. The very fi rst thing you should do after taking
the device out of the box is create a unique, strong password for it. Password management
tools like LastPass can help you create strong passwords and keep track of them across
multiple devices. Because as tempting as it is to use the same password for everything, it’s
not worth the risk.
2. Keep smart home software updated. You know how your computer has regular security
updates? So do your smart home devices. Make sure they stay updated with the latest
software patches.
3. Disable features you don’t need. Do you absolutely have to have remote access to
each of your smart home devices? If you can go without, switch that feature off where
applicable, along with any other features you don’t plan to use. Also be sure to review each
device’s security settings and adjust any that are overly permissive.
4. Secure the wireless router. Secure the home’s wireless network with a strong password
and use WPA2 encryption instead of WEP. Also give your wireless router an obscure
name that makes it harder for hackers to glean information they could use in a social
engineering attack. It’s easy to understand why home buyers are so keen on smart home
devices, but it’s critical to understand their risks.
Should you need any help or advice with your smart home needs, we are happy to help!
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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
WINTER 2020
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