ADT® Authorized Dealer Serving Eau Claire & Surrounding Areas
December 05, 2022

Is There A Reason To Worry About Smart Home Hacking In Eau Claire?

In many ways, smart devices like surveillance systems and video doorbells have made our lives more secure. We have the ability to receive updates if someone comes up our front door, and we can even have video segments sent to us when questionable activity is found. Having implements we are able to communicate with over the internet alerts us to prospective risks instantly. But there is one main downside. The access that keeps us connected is also creating a pathway for virtual intrusions.

While you don’t have to lay awake at night worrying about smart home hacking in Eau Claire, you should be cognizant of the potential safety issue and implement a plan to avoid it.

How To Block Smart Home Hacking

It seems that practically everything is joined to the internet these days - home security equipment, TVs, and even your home appliances like ovens and refrigerators. The issue is that this generates more avenues for cyber criminals to break into your network. With that being said, you don’t have to eschew wireless home protection packages or other smart devices. Instead, follow these tips and do your part to keep intruders away from your network.


  • Create hard-to-guess passwords: This is a must for any account, and that includes your wireless configuration. Use upper and lower casing and an assortment of letters, special characters, and numbers. Don’t use birthdays, street names, or other things hackers could easily determine. A password creator will supply you with something completely random and a password manager will aid you in keeping tabs on your various accounts and passwords.


  • Change default settings: When hooking up that new router, chances are it will come with a preprogrammed password to get you started. Change it. Hackers may have these default settings as well. Setting up your Wi-Fi network and router properly at the start is vital in keeping you protected.


  • Set up a separate network: Why include your smart oven, your home security components, and your home computer on one network? Most routers permit you to create a separate guest network. Make use of it and safeguard personal information present on your desktop, laptop, and phone.


  • Consider installing a firewall: Firewalls aren’t merely for commercial networks. They can also be used on home network. Firewalls are able to watch your network’s traffic and block suspicious activity. You might start with a router with an incorporated firewall.


  • Use the latest encryption standards and security protocols: If you have a recently manufactured router, you may have the chance to incorporate WPA3, the current wireless security protocol. If not, WPA2 with AES encryption is still a good choice. You should find home security devices that protect with 128-bit or higher.


  • Ensure firmware and software is current: Keep your software and firmware on the most recent version for all devices, including your networked surveillance units. In some cases, these updates will fix known issues and improve your network security.
 

Be Cautious of Cheap Smart Home Devices In Eau Claire

Respected brands like ADT and Amazon have their reputation to maintain and are more likely to rectify a security issue in their equipment. Other off-the-shelf options might not be quite as diligent. Buying your video cameras, smart thermostat, video doorbell, and other smart devices from one source like ADT is the right move. And getting all of your equipment hooked up at the same time will help ensure flawless integration, operation, and security. It’s important to note that ADT Command, the central touchpad interface, uses two-way encryption when engaging with with your smart equipment.

Request Your Own Eau Claire Home Security System

Since you now have more knowledge on how to keep your wireless network shielded from hackers, it’s time to start on your own smart home security system in Eau Claire. The security specialists at Secure24 Alarm Systems are ready to create the right package for your home. Call (715) 255-6964 or fill out the form to get started.