How to Keep Your Home Connected to the Internet Safe and Secure
From smart thermostats like the Nest to always-on security cameras , every year we add more home appliances and gadgets to our homes that connect to the Internet. Some offer great features like remote monitoring, others use data to help you optimize your home and save money. Even so, anything connected to the Internet can be hacked. Here’s how to keep all this new gear safe.
You may not think about it, but always-connected devices like thermostats, NAS devices, TVs, kitchen appliances and home automation systems are constantly transmitting data to and from the Internet. We call all of these gadgets the “Internet of Things,” but like other devices connected to the Internet, they are vulnerable to the rest of the world. This means that you need to take some precautions before installing them.
Never connect your devices to the Internet without a firewall
Most of us have a router at home that acts as a firewall by performing network address translation (NAT). In simple terms, a router sends traffic destined for a device to that device and drops traffic that is unexpected, unwanted, or deliberately malicious. Most of us would never have imagined connecting our computers directly to the Internet without the protection of our routers, or at least some kind of firewall to block malicious traffic and port scans. There is no reason to assume that the tiny computer in your new device is any different. It may not store sensitive or personal information, but if it’s on your home network too, there’s no reason not to store it behind your home router or firewall.
Some devices, such as IP security cameras, try to simplify setup by offering to connect them to the Internet. They usually rely on password protection and offline web pages to stay safe. Unfortunately, we learned that this is far from reliable . You should definitely use strong passwords with these devices, but you should still keep them locked and behind a firewall, preferably with port forwarding configured, so that you can access them from the outside if you need to and they can call home when needed. …
Check for firmware and security updates and do so regularly
The first thing you should do when unpacking and connecting this new internet connected device is to check for firmware updates. Like any peripheral device, the chances of it being in a box on a shelf with the most recent version of software are pretty low. There was likely an update that offers security updates and feature improvements – and may even contain some critical fixes required for safe online use. Go to the manufacturer’s website and look for instructions on how to connect and update your device. Even if there are no updates, at least you will know how to do it and will be able to check regularly when security updates have been posted.
When we talked about the severity of bugs like Shellshock and Heartbleed , one of the big issues we found was that many internet-connected devices are never tracked or updated. These can be “embedded” systems that perform certain functions (and no one checks them until they break), or they can be in devices that people simply do not suspect that they are connected. If you can learn to check for updates regularly, even if your device doesn’t do it for you, then your investment will be safe and with maximum performance.
Consider deploying your own VPN for remote access
A VPN or virtual private network gives you the ability to securely connect to your home network from afar. We’ve already talked about how VPNs work , and while they encrypt information going to and from your devices, you can also use them to create a private connection between you and a trusted network (in this case, your home network) so you can check CCTV cameras, turn a thermostat on or off, or retrieve files from your NAS without worrying about the rest of the internet doing the same. This way, you can open your devices to your home network rather than the Internet in general, but still access them from anywhere by logging into your home network via a VPN.
You can use premium VPN services like some of our favorites to get your work done here, or you can deploy your own VPN with Raspberry Pi and OpenVPN , or just use OpenVPN on your home router, NAS, or even your old computer. which you can roll around at home. Whichever tool you choose, you can use a VPN to keep connected devices secure, behind a home firewall, and accessible from the outside only when connected to your home network. You will still need to set up port forwarding if these devices need the Internet for their own purposes, such as updating or improving features. However, if it’s only remote access you need, a VPN is a great way to control who can connect to and when. You can then control these devices when they need to be called manually.
Protect your home network
Of course, placing all of these devices behind a firewall or behind a router will only help if your home network is secure. Take time to find out how your home network is working , set it up correctly, and make sure your router’s security settings are in order . If your home network is poorly configured, the devices you are trying to protect from the rest of the Internet are not particularly secure. There is even some benefit to building a network map and connecting to your network if you really want to learn how these devices communicate.
In addition to keeping your router password unique and strong, your firmware is up to date, make sure your router is using strong Wi-Fi encryption (WPA or WPA2 preferred with WPS disabled) and your router’s admin page is not accessible to the Internet. … You will also want to make sure that all of your other devices are protected by your router or some other firewall – one entry point into your network can open up access to all of your other network devices. Finally, make sure you have reliable, updated antivirus and antivirus software installed on your computers.
Educate yourself
Finally, it is important to remember that the end user is always the weakest link in the security chain. It means you. If you don’t take the time to learn how to protect your data and your devices, you will leave holes in your home network that can lead to identity theft, fraud, or malicious users using your devices for their own purposes. This could mean that your computer is becoming a zombie from a DDOS attack, or an unwitting participant in a bitcoin mining operation, your IP camera is posted on the Internet for everyone to see, or your thermostat becomes the subject of scenarios that want to prank someone. A few resources to look out for:
- FCC Guidelines for Securing Your Home Network
- US-CERT Home Network Security Guide
- The National Cybersecurity Alliance’s Guide to Securing Your Network
- Our Night School Know Your Network
Either way, whether the consequences are serious or just annoying, a little foresight and a little education will help make sure that all of your new Internet-connected devices – and your old ones like PCs and game consoles – all get along and work fine. just the way you want.