The IoT-driven smart home has transitioned from a sci-fi dream through a billionaire's toy to a life-altering technological reality many can afford. Being able to start a wash cycle, hit play on a music playlist, and set the mood with atmospheric lighting with a few taps on your smartphone still sounds mind-blowing.

However, the convenience isn't risk-free. The smart home is a novel concept, and bad actors see the devices that make it up as rife for abuse. This article examines the most common smart home devices and offers practical tips on safeguarding them all. Start putting our tips into practice and enjoy the comforts of your smart home without concerns.

Smart TVs

People are more likely to have a TV than any other smart device, so safeguarding them is a priority. It’s also tricky since the attack area is so large.

Smart TVs connect to the internet and can send usage and other data to the manufacturer. It’s already happening without users’ consent in China. Smart TVs have microphones, and some even come with cameras. Both are a potential source of compromising information if misused.

Apart from the TV, third-party apps like streaming services also pose a risk. Not only do they collect data on your preferences, but they can expose sensitive personal and financial information if the streaming provider suffers a breach.

Protection starts with smart TV selection. Go for one with a comprehensive user privacy policy and minimum invasive features. It should let you disable video and voice recording, but black tape on the camera when not in use is viable, too. The TV should come with antivirus/antimalware or let you install some. You can also add some protection with a VPN for smart TV.

Smart Speakers / Voice-activated Assistants

Smart speakers help you follow along with recipes or get current weather info. They can also act as a gateway to far more information than you’re comfortable sharing. You communicate with the built-in voice assistant via a microphone, which could always be recording.

It's important to understand the speaker's privacy and usage policies and make appropriate changes to its settings. Mute the microphone when not using the device. Likewise, don't give consent for humans to interact with your voice recordings, e.g., for quality assurance or new feature development.

Limit the speaker’s access to your private data and other accounts. You won't be able to edit your calendar or have it read emails out loud, but you’ll also reduce the damage a breach or other attack can do.

Lastly, set yourself up as the primary user. Children and guests can still use most of the speaker’s functions that way. However, they can't make purchases or access your command history, which you should regularly delete.

IoT Devices and Smart Appliances

This broad category covers everything from colorful lightbulbs to smart refrigerators. As such, it is susceptible to a wide array of dangers. We've already mentioned identity and password theft, which is a possibility for every IoT device that requires an account. Such devices are notoriously vulnerable by default, which makes them easy to hijack and use in orchestrating DDoS attacks.

Choose which devices to include in your smart home based on manufacturer. Reputable ones want to provide the best security measures and are less likely to sell your data.

Segmenting your Wi-Fi is an effective precaution since it isolates IoT devices from the rest of your home network.

Monitoring network activity is another worthwhile measure. High activity levels while not browsing or using any IoT devices can point toward foul play.

What Other Measures Can You Take?

Unauthorized access and information sharing are top concerns regardless of smart gadget type. Other than dealing with each device individually, you can prevent much harm by securing the router and network they use to connect online.

The easiest way to do so is through a VPN, which we already mentioned. Any data the devices send through a VPN connection is encrypted, so cybercriminals can’t leverage it for attacks. Secure VPNs connect to different servers and change your IP address, which makes the usage data whose collection you have no control over useless.  The best VPN comparison table can help you choose a reputable company that provides this service. 

Keeping each gadget's firmware updated is another effective security measure. Familiarizing yourself with their features and disabling ones you don't need reduces the attack area further.

Secure any related accounts with strong passwords and use two-factor authentication for added protection. Even if an account isn't required, make sure to change default PINs and access codes if there are any.

Lastly, don’t just use security measures and forget to stay cautious. New threats emerge every day, so regularly check for news regarding security and ways to recognize threats regarding IoT.