“Alexa, tell me what time it is.”
“Hey Google, turn the air conditioning down by two degrees.”
“Ring, who is at my door?”
Our homes are smart, but unfortunately, so are hackers. Are we at risk when connecting our HVAC and burglar alarm systems to the internet? What kind of information is being shared over our network that’s connected with our computer and five (or more) other electronic devices in our homes?
There is a real and growing threat that hackers could break into your home via a simple override of your internet link. Hackers may also break into your home computer system to see work-from-home or banking data. Some very simple steps may go a long way to protect your home and your data.
• Have a firewall – Investing in a firewall system on your computer and through your network can prevent unauthorized access to your information.
• Change your password frequently – Although cumbersome at times due to the number of devices that rely on your home’s Wi-Fi connection, regularly changing your password and making sure it includes mixed-case, alpha-numeric, and special characters will provide better protection.
• Back up your data – Utilizing an external hard drive or cloud-based backup service will protect against the need to pay to recover from a ransomware attack.
• Consider purchasing identity theft insurance – ID theft insurance can offer coverage for legal defense costs, lost wages and restoration services.
