ADT® Authorized Dealer Serving Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs & Surrounding Areas
December 05, 2022

Should You Be Concerned About Smart Home Hacking In Fort Myers?

In various ways, smart tools like surveillance systems and video doorbells have enhanced our security. We have the ability to receive updates when a visitor comes up our front porch, and we can have video segments sent to us when questionable activity is happening. Having devices we can interact with over the internet alerts us to developing hazards immediately. But there is one main disadvantage. The simple access we enjoy is also creating a pathway for online invasions.

Even though you don’t need to lose sleep worrying about smart home hacking in Fort Myers, you need to be cognizant of the potential danger and implement a plan to avoid it.

How To Prevent Smart Home Hacking

It seems that just about everything is connected to the internet nowadays - home security devices, televisions, and even your kitchen appliances like ovens and refrigerators. The drawback is that this produces more avenues for virtual villains to break into your network. Even so, you don’t need to eschew wireless home defense systems or other smart components. Instead, abide by these tips and take steps to keep prowlers out of your network.


  • Use hard-to-crack passwords: This is a requirement for any account, including your home Wi-Fi. Use uppercase and lowercase and a blend of letters, numbers, and acceptable special characters. Stay away from birthdays, street names, or anything else hackers might easily figure out. A password creator will provide something completely random and a password manager will help you track your different accounts.


  • Change default settings: When hooking up a new router, it’s likely to come with a standard password to facilitate the setup. Adjust it immediately. Hackers will be aware of these default passwords too. Configuring your Wi-Fi network and new router correctly in the beginning will go a long way to keeping you protected.


  • Set up a separate network: Why have your smart range, your home security components, and your work laptop on one network? The majority of routers permit you to set up a different guest network. Take advantage of it and safeguard important material found on your phone, desktop, and laptop.


  • Add protection with a firewall: Firewalls aren’t merely for businesses. They can also be used on personal network. Firewalls can pay close attention to your network’s traffic and stop questionable activity. You might opt for a router with an integrated firewall.


  • Utilize the top encryption settings and security protocols: If you own a new router, you will likely have the ability to utilize WPA3, the most up-to-date wireless security protocol. If that’s not available, WPA2 with AES encryption will be sufficient. You ought to look for home security components that protect with 128-bit or higher.


  • Ensure software and firmware is current: Keep your firmware and software on the most recent version for all devices, and that includes your connected video cameras. In some cases, these updates will address known issues and tighten up your security.
 

Be Wary of Lower Quality Smart Home Devices In Fort Myers

Name brands like ADT and Amazon have their status to uphold and will take steps to remedy a security flaw in their equipment. Other knock-off products might not be so conscientious. Buying your smart thermostat, video doorbell, surveillance system, and additional components from a single reputable company like ADT is a wise choice. And having all of your systems installed simultaneously will help ensure proper integration, performance, and security. It’s also good to know that ADT Command, the central touchpad interface, utilizes two-way encryption when engaging with with your smart equipment.

Customize Your Own Fort Myers Wireless Home Security Package

Since you now have a better idea on how to keep your private network safe from cyber criminals, it’s time to begin designing your own home security in Fort Myers. The security experts at Secure24 Alarm Systems are ready to create the perfect package for your home. Call (239) 317-1360 or complete the form to get started.