Keep Your Smart Home Safe: Here’s What You Can Do Today to Secure Your Products

The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming the way we live, work and play. You can find it in the fitness trackers you might be wearing to monitor step count and heart rate. Or the car you may be driving. But more than anywhere else, you’ll see IoT at home in an increasing array of gadgets: from voice-activated smart speakers to internet-connected baby monitors.


It’s estimated that 14.2 billion connected “things” like these are in use globally in 2019, which will rise to 25 billion in a couple of years’ time. There’s just one problem: if not properly secured, they could present hackers with new opportunities to sneak into your smart home through the cyber-front door.


So what are the risks—and how can you protect your home?


Governments take action


First, some good news: as consumers’ homes fill with ever-greater numbers of smart gadgets, governments are aware of the growing risks of cyber-attacks. In the US, California is leading the way with new legislation designed to force manufacturers to improve the security of their products. SB-327 introduces minimum requirements such as forcing each user to set a unique device password the first time they connect.


Following hot on the heels of the Golden State is the federal government. Introduced in March, the bipartisan Internet of Things (IoT) Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2019 doesn’t cover all IoT makers, only ones which sell products to the government. However, it is hoped that the law will have a knock- ..

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