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

Should You Be Concerned About Smart Home Hacking In College Station?

In a variety of ways, smart devices like security cameras and video doorbells have boosted our home security. We have the ability to get alerts whenever a visitor walks up to our front steps, and we may even have video segments delivered to us when questionable behavior is detected. Having devices we are able to access through the internet warns us of potential hazards instantaneously. But there is one main downside. The quick access we enjoy is also creating a pathway for virtual intrusions.

Even though you don’t have to lose sleep worrying about smart home hacking in College Station, you need to be cognizant of the potential danger and take steps to avoid it.

Methods To Block Smart Home Hacking

Almost anything can be linked to the internet nowadays - your home’s security components, smart lights, and even your range. The issue is that this generates more opportunities for virtual villains to sneak into your network. Even so, you don’t need to eschew wireless home defense systems or other smart components. Alternatively, abide by these suggestions and do your part to keep intruders away from your network.


  • Protect with hard-to-crack passwords: This is a necessity for every account, including your home Wi-Fi. Use lower and upper casing and an assortment of letters, numbers, and acceptable special characters. Avoid birth dates, full words, or anything else hackers could easily determine. A password fabricator will provide something completely random and password management software may aid you in keeping tabs on your different accounts and passwords.


  • Update default settings: When hooking up a new router, it’s likely to come with a preprogrammed password to help you get started. Change it. Hackers are likely to know these default passwords too. Setting up your Wi-Fi network and new router properly in the beginning will go a long way to keeping you protected.


  • Set up more than one network: Why put your smart oven, your security devices, and your work laptop on the same network? Most routers allow you to initiate a different guest network. Be sure to use it and shield personal data found on your phone, desktop, and laptop.


  • Add protection with a firewall: Firewalls aren’t only for commercial networks. They may also be integrated with your home network. Firewalls will watch your network’s traffic and thwart questionable activity. You could begin with a router that offers an integrated firewall.


  • Choose the top encryption options and security protocols: If you’re using a new router, you might be able to utilize WPA3, the most up-to-date wireless security protocol. If that’s not an option, WPA2 with AES encryption will do the job. You need to find home security devices that feature 128-bit or higher.


  • Ensure firmware and software is updated: Keep your software and firmware up to date for all components, including your networked video cameras. In some cases, these updates will address vulnerabilities and improve your network’s security.
 

Be Wary of Lower Quality Smart Home Devices In College Station

Name brands like ADT and Google have their reputation to uphold and will take steps to remedy a security issue in their equipment. Other off-the-shelf options may not be quite as diligent. Purchasing your surveillance systems, video doorbell, smart thermostat, and additional components from a lone reputable company like ADT makes sense. And deciding to have all of your equipment installed at the same time will go a long way to ensuring seamless integration, performance, and security. It’s also good to know that ADT Command, your centralized touchscreen, uses two-way encryption when engaging with with your integrated devices.

Design Your Own College Station Wireless Home Security Package

Since you now have more knowledge on how to keep your wireless network shielded from hackers, It’s the right moment to start on your own smart home security system in College Station. The security professionals at Secure24 Alarm Systems are here to customize the ideal package for your property. Call (979) 330-5973 or fill out the form to upgrade your home’s protection.