网络安全与智能家居十妙招

2020-08-04瑞安·杰克逊

英语世界 2020年7期

瑞安·杰克逊

Security with home automation provokes an interesting debate and can be the sole purpose of why some might not invest in a smart home. Cybersecurity in smart homes is a perplex issue.

Over the past eighteen months， there has been a wide range of data breaches， but how secure is your connected home in general？ The thoughtless answer， “Probably much less secure than you might imagine.”

IoT brings a tremendous amount of connected devices into the home. The dark flipside is that cybercriminals are now benefiting from many new entry points into your home.

Why is cyber security a smart home issue？

Whats the difference between a standard instance of computer hacking and an attack on your IoT devices？

Well， if someone compromises your connected home， your data could easily be leaked. Imagine what would happen if someone hacks a single device and then obtains all your Wi-Fi credentials.

Perhaps worse， what if a cybercriminal gains access to your smart thermostat and learns when youll be away so they can burgle your home？ Its unlikely， but it could happen.

Luckily， you can fight back in several ways， and none of these approaches to cybersecurity at home involve dipping into your pocket either. So， without further ado， here are ten workable ways to tighten up security at home.

1） Update your router

Back in 2018， the VPNFilter malware infected more than a half-million routers in 50 countries. This malware rendered many routers inoperable. Malware can compromise your router and steal passwords and data.

As a matter of routine， you should reset your router periodically. Once a week is more than enough. If youre using an old router， you should consider an upgrade. Start from firm foundations， and youll keep the risk of a security breach to an absolute minimum.

2） Set up a guest Wi-Fi network

You shouldnt feel bad about setting up a guest network. While guests might naturally expect internet access when theyre visiting， theyve got no need for full access to all your settings.

If youve got a house filled with tech-savvy teens and their friends， youre much better off not providing more than basic internet service without access to everything.

You can extend this by creating separate network identities or SSIDs1. Keep one of these purely for security-conscious tasks like internet banking while reserving the other network for regular browsing and device management. That way， youll reduce the risk of any data being stolen in a security breach.

3） Keep passwords robust and security-conscious

Whats the first thing you should do when youve got any IoT device up and running？ Change the password; thats what. Sadly， entirely， 15% of users leave the default passwords in place， which is reckless.

You should resist the temptation to use passwords that are easy for you to remember or involve personal data like date of birth. Instead， avoid common words， include numbers and symbols， and consider using a password manager so you wont forget your super-strong password.

4） Secure your network fully

Within your router settings， be sure to amp up your security to use the WPA22 protocol. WEP3 might still be the most common protocol， but its much weaker and far more vulnerable to attack. These small details could mean the difference between business as usual or a data breach. Dont overlook the small stuff.

5） Embrace two-factor authentication

We know， two-factor authentication or 2FA can be a pain. It could also protect you against a cyber attack.

After signing in with a username and password， youll be prompted to use a second strand of security to verify your ID. Youll get a 6-digit code pinged to your smartphone， which， of course， a cybercriminal wont have to hand. Which do you prioritize more， slightly swifter log-ins or upgraded security？

6） Stay on top of software updates

If youre accustomed to swiping away and ignoring software updates， you might want to rethink that in the smart home.

Smart devices often have patches released to counter any potential security weak spots. While it would be ideal if these were automatically applied， thats not always the case.

Pay equal attention to security on your mobile device. Keep that smartphone updated， so you dont dip out on any strengthening of security for the sake of sixty seconds of effort.

7） Dont manage your smart devices from public Wi-Fi networks

While it can be tempting to continually check in on smart devices， resist the temptation to do so from an unsecured public Wi-Fi network. While you could always use a VPN4 to beef up security， its better to practice to sidestep accessing your IoT devices from this type of setting.

8） Disable unnecessary features

As a rule of thumb， if you dont need a feature or setting on any given smart device， disable it. If you dont use remote access， for example， leave it out of the equation. Sometimes， less is more. Enjoy a more streamlined and less bloated user experience while fractionally increasing security.

9） Use biometric authentication when available

Biometric ID removes much of the possibility of a security breach. If youve got a smart lock like Ultraloq， fingerprint recognition removes any reasonable chance of foul play. Unfortunately， this functionality doesnt currently encompass too many devices.

10） Make sure you have a firewall and security software in place

Last but certainly not least， make sure youve got robust antivirus and security software in place and dont neglect a firewall， either.

Apply all of the above tips， and you can massively improve smart home cybersecurity without needing to spend a cent.

家居自动化的安全问题引发了一场有趣的辩论，也可能成为部分人士不愿投资智能家居的唯一原因。智能家居的网络安全问题令人困惑。

过去18个月，各种数据泄露事件发生，但总的来说，联网家庭能够有多安全呢？不费思量的回答是：“或许远远不如想象的那么安全。”

物联网将大量联网设备带入家庭，其负面影响是网络罪犯也因此有了可乘之机，可经许多新的端口潜入家居。

为什么网络安全事关智能家居？

电脑黑客攻击的标准案例和针对物联网设备的攻击有何区别？

的确，如果有人入侵联网家居，数据就非常容易泄露。试想，如果黑客入侵某一设备，随后窃取了所有的Wi-Fi证书，后果将会怎样。

或许更为严重的是，如果网络罪犯进入智能恒温器，知道您什么时候离家，这样他们就能入室行窃，那该如何是好？这貌似不大可能，但却可能发生。

幸好您可以通过多种方式进行反击，而且无须为这些家居网络安保的方法另掏腰包。好了，话不多说，以下10个行之有效的方法可加强家居网络安全。

1）定期更新路由器