ADT® Authorized Dealer Serving State College & Surrounding Areas
December 05, 2022

Should You Worry About Smart Home Hacking In State College?

In a variety of ways, smart components like surveillance systems and video doorbells have boosted our home security. We can get notifications when a stranger comes up our front porch, and we can have footage delivered to us when suspicious behavior is happening. Having implements we can communicate with through the internet alerts us to prospective hazards instantly. But there is one main downside. The access that keeps us connected is also opening a door virtual intrusions.

While you shouldn’t lay awake at night fretting over smart home hacking in State College, you should be cognizant of the potential safety issue and implement a plan to steer clear of it.

How To Prevent Smart Home Hacking

Just about anything can be linked to the internet these days - your home’s security components, smart lights, and even your fridge. The drawback is that this creates more opportunities for hackers to break into your network. Even so, you don’t need to eschew wireless home security systems or other smart appliances. Instead, follow these suggestions and take steps to keep invaders off your network.


  • Use hard-to-guess passwords: This is a must for any account, and that includes your home’s wireless network. Use lower and upper casing and a blend of letters, special characters, and numbers. Don’t use dates of birth, street names, or other options hackers might easily determine. A password generator will supply you with something absolutely random and a password manager may help you track your many accounts and passwords.


  • Avoid default settings: When setting up your new router, it’s likely to come with a preprogrammed password to help you get started. Don’t forget to update it. Hackers will have these default passwords too. Establishing your private network and router properly in the beginning is critical in keeping you secure.


  • Create separate networks: Why include your smart oven, your home security components, and the laptop you use for work on a single network? Most routers allow you to create a different guest network. Make use of it and protect important data found on your phone, desktop, and laptop.


  • Install a firewall: Firewalls aren’t just for businesses. They can also be integrated with your private network. Firewalls will watch your network’s traffic and thwart suspicious activity. You might start with a router that offers a built-in firewall.


  • Use the most up-to-date encryption standards and security protocols: If you have a recently manufactured router, you will likely be able to incorporate WPA3, the most up-to-date wireless security protocol. If not, WPA2 with AES encryption will be sufficient. You ought to install home security devices that protect with 128-bit or higher.


  • Be certain software and firmware is updated: Keep your operating systems up to date for all devices, and that includes your connected surveillance units. In some cases, these updates will fix known issues and improve your network security.
 

Be Cautious of Lower Quality Smart Home Components In State College

When you work with a trusted company like ADT, you’ll discover that any security gaps in video cameras or other components are addressed in a quick and professional fashion. Other off-the-shelf options may not act in the same fashion. Buying your surveillance systems, video doorbell, smart thermostat, and other items from one reputable company like ADT is the right move. And getting all of your equipment connected at the same time will go a long way to ensuring flawless configuration, performance, and security. It’s important to note that ADT Command, your centralized touchscreen, employs two-way encryption when communicating with your integrated components.

Request Your Own State College Home Defense Package

As you now have more knowledge on how to keep your wireless network secure, it’s time to begin designing your own smart home security system in State College. The security professionals at Secure24 Alarm Systems are here to customize the perfect package for your family. Call (814) 212-8021 or fill out the form to get started.