How to Protect Your Home From Cyber Threats and Attacks

In today’s world of connectivity, smart devices and gadgets have become a necessity. At the same time, they require the same amount of security not just from getting stolen but also from cyber threats.

The bitter truth is often, one fails to protect themselves from cyber threats such as viruses, malware, and spyware that can easily corrupt all the smart devices and even delete documents. A survey states that, on average, a house in America has more than 13 smart devices. The count can rise up to 20 in the near future.

With the passage of time, hackers are also evolving themselves and are always in search of vulnerable gadgets and sites. Hacking can be much easier when owners lack basic knowledge of security. Now imagine the amount of threat one has from the cyber world.

Even keeping track of all the passwords was a major problem in the past. All thanks to the advanced password managers that are present online, which can store all the password credentials on behalf of you. Even family password managers are also rising nowadays; you can now store all the passwords of your family under one shelter.

Here are some important steps or tips you can take for providing better security to your house from cyber threats

Choosing a Reliable Manufacturer

The very first step towards providing better security to your smart gadgets is buying products from reliable manufacturers. The manufacturer must have a clear track record in terms of providing cyber-security and regular software updates to the systems, like KeepSolid inc. with Passwarden – Best password manager.

Another key factor is the release date and the warranty period of the systems and software that are uploaded to your devices. Using obsolete software increases the chances of data leakage and is prone to hacking.

Disable the Features That Are Not Required

The common mistake which we generally make is not going through the manuals. Device manuals generally come in the form of a handbook that has all the features and functionalities of the device written. Going through it makes it easier for us to install the gadgets in our house as well as gives us the idea of the features we require.

It is better to disable the features which you do not need while setting up the device. Closing the service ports such as SSH, FTP, and telnet if the device supports them makes it much more secure. This completely locks the system and protects it at least from average intrusion attempts. And if the device does not allow this, then make sure that these ports are not available to the outside world via a router.

Providing Stronger Passwords

While installing a device, it is a must to change the default credentials with strong passwords. It is also the same while handling any social media account or other accounts. While selecting a password, keep one thing in mind; the longer the password is, the stronger it is. Hence makes it difficult to crack it.

Make sure that the password is at least 12 characters. Using a sentence or a phrase is one of the best ways to create a long and strong password. Avoid using common passwords such as any chronological arrangement of numbers, your date of birth, and even the word “Password” since they are very vulnerable. If you have any, such as your passwords, please change them.

If you find it difficult to remember your password, you can use this best password manager or family password manager as per your needs from the wide range of advanced password manager options present online. This definitely makes your job much easier.

Always use additional layers of security:

The router serves as the main entrance to your network. Thus it is recommended to add security to it so as to keep a watch on what is coming. There are many such advanced defenders that keep track of the traffic to the appliances and even help you find if any threats are aimed at them and block them as well.

Few defenders present in the market are so powerful that they even record the normal tendency of the devices that are connected to it. They immediately take the necessary action when they notice any change in the tendency.

Checking New Devices

It is always advised to keep a record of all the devices connected to your systems. This makes your task easier to find out the corrupt device and disconnect it immediately to secure other connections.

Few routers have their inbuilt defenders and armors activated that are capable of finding any discrepancy. These defenders can find the exact point of the problem in the connection automatically and alerts you for disconnection. They can also notify you if any new device is available so as to make sure it is yours or any external connection.

Updating the Systems Regularly

There have been researches regarding smart locks that revealed that gaining access to your house without knowing the password isn’t that difficult. All they have to do is to extract a private key from the memory card, and boom! Your house is open for them.

Even cases have been recorded where people have hacked into security cameras of others’ houses and are conversing with their children. This definitely increases your concern on whether you are secured or not.

To avoid these kinds of scenarios updating the software and firmware is a must. You must update your devices with the latest firmware as soon as they are available. This reduces the threat to a great extent. It is highly recommended to keep the auto-update feature on if the device provides it.