ADT® Authorized Dealer Serving Entire Gainesville Metro Area
December 05, 2022

Do You Need To Be Concerned About Smart Home Hacking In Gainesville?

In a variety of ways, smart components like surveillance systems and video doorbells have boosted our home security. We are able to receive alerts if a visitor arrives at our front porch, and we may even have video segments delivered to us when suspicious behavior is happening. Having components we can communicate with via the internet advises us to developing hazards instantly. But there is one main downside. The simple access that keeps us connected is also creating a pathway for online invasions.

While you don’t need to lay awake at night worrying about smart home hacking in Gainesville, you need to be cognizant of the potential safety issue and take steps to avoid it.

Methods To Block Smart Home Hacking

It would appear that just about everything is connected to the internet nowadays - home security components, TVs, and even your kitchen appliances like ranges and coffee makers. The issue is that this produces more pathways for hackers to break into your network. That doesn't mean you have to eschew wireless home protection packages or other smart appliances. Rather, follow these tips and take steps to keep invaders off your network.


  • Create strong passwords: This is a requirement for any account, including your home Wi-Fi. Use upper and lower casing and an assortment of letters, special characters, and numbers. Stay away from dates of birth, street names, or other things hackers could easily figure out. A password generator will give you something completely random and password management software may help you track your many passwords and accounts.


  • Change default settings: When hooking up your new router, chances are it will come with a preprogrammed password to facilitate the setup. Don’t forget to update it. Hackers will know these default passwords too. Setting up your Wi-Fi network and home router correctly at the start will go a long way to keeping you protected.


  • Consider a separate network: Why put your smart oven, your home security components, and your home computer on a single network? The majority of routers allow you to create a different guest network. Take advantage of it and shield personal data found on your desktop, laptop, and phone.


  • Add protection with a firewall: Firewalls aren’t just for commercial networks. They can also be incorporated into your personal network. Firewalls are able to keep an eye on what’s happening on your network and thwart suspect activity. You might begin with a router including an incorporated firewall.


  • Utilize the latest encryption settings and security protocols: If you’re using a new router, you might have the ability to use WPA3, the latest wireless security protocol. If that’s not available, WPA2 with AES encryption will be sufficient. You should install home security devices that feature 128-bit encryption or higher.


  • Be certain firmware and software is updated: Keep your operating systems at the latest levels for all devices, including your connected camera surveillance. Frequently, these updates will fix known issues and improve your network security.
 

Be Wary of Lower Quality Smart Home Components In Gainesville

One of the advantages of turning to a respected name like ADT is knowing that security components are constantly being monitored to address any flaws hackers could take advantage of. Other lesser-known options may not act in the same fashion. Getting your smart thermostat, video doorbell, surveillance system, and other items from a single source like ADT is the right move. And getting all of your equipment connected at once will go a long way to ensuring flawless configuration, security, and performance. It’s also good to know that ADT Command, the central touchpad interface, employs two-way encryption when interacting with your connected equipment.

Customize Your Own Gainesville Home Security System

Since you now have more knowledge on how to keep your home network shielded from hackers, it’s time to get started on your own home defense system in Gainesville. The security experts at Secure24 Alarm Systems are here to customize the right package for your property. Call (352) 325-7286 or fill out the form to upgrade your home’s protection.