4 Ways to Protect Your Smart Devices

Alexa, protect me from cybercriminals! Our Smart TV’s, phones, and Fitbits are designed to help us, but did you know they could leave you vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks? While advancing technology is nothing short of amazing, cybercriminals are figuring out how to exploit these vulnerabilities.

Here are a few tips on how you can safeguard your private information from hackers.

1.    Research your smart device’s manufacturer

When buying smart devices, finding the best deals can seem irresistible. But if your main aim is to save money, then you could be putting your privacy at risk. Do your research on manufacturer’s security policies and find the best one with a commitment to privacy.

2.    Don’t keep the default password

When setting up a new smart device, it can be tempting to keep the default password and save it to your browser. Credentials such as ‘admin’ or ‘12345’ are great examples of weak and predictable log in details, which you should avoid. Hackers can easily find default passwords so generate a random one using an online tool, like LastPass (you can store all your passwords here too).

3.    Update your devices

Don’t press ‘install later’ the next time your smart device suggests an update as the latest version is usually the safest. These updates have patches to fix vulnerabilities in previous software versions and are important to keep your devices protected from bugs.

4.    Separate your home and work devices

Keep your home devices disconnected from your work devices, just like you do with bank accounts. If someone steals your credit card, they can only access one account. If someone hacks into your smart home devices, you don’t want them to have access to work information and vice-versa.