All the Security Risks From Smart Home Devices, According to Experts

If you could ask someone in the 1960s what they expected the 2020s to look like, they might mention flying cars and robot maids. And while Roombas are the closest we get to Rosey from the Jetsons, our houses are getting more futuristic with every passing year, thanks to smart home devices.

You would be hard pressed to find a freshly built home these days that does not have at least one smart appliance, whether it’s a smart lock, a smart light, a smart fridge, or some other brainy appliance. These home features are built to make life easier for you. How much better is to turn the thermostat up from your phone before you get out of bed on a chilly morning?

But to make them smart, all these appliances have to connect to your WiFi, which also makes you vulnerable to hackers and cybercriminals, not the kind of burglars who will break in to steal your stuff, but those that can break into your home network and steal your data or even spy on you.

There isn’t yet much data on how frequently attacks like this happen. The sources I spoke to agreed that this isn’t a problem you should be freaking out about just yet, but it is something you should take precautionary measures to avoid, especially as smart devices get further ingrained in our lives. I reached out to Anton Dahbura, the executive director of the Johns Hopkins University Information Security Institute, and Bruce Young, program lead and instructor of cybersecurity at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, to learn more about ways to protect ourselves, and our data, from the potential run-of-the-mill hacker.

Smart appliances—also known as Internet of Things (IoT) devices—can be risky because they’re monitored and managed remotely, says Young. While this is what makes them so convenient, it’s also what opens the door to the risk of unauthorized access. Though it’s unlikely, it’s possible for a cyberattacker “to hopscotch into places where they can obtain a homeowner’s credit card or bank information,” says Dahbura.

Even rather innocuous devices, like smart lightbulbs, can create vulnerable points in your home network. “Once a hacker gains access to one IoT device, they could potentially move laterally within your network, including cloud services connected to your phone or home network, if security measures aren’t strong,” Young adds.

There are a couple. The first is essentially what I mentioned above: A hacker breaks into your personal home network via an IoT device and then accesses sensitive personal information.

They could also, in theory, conduct surveillance through cameras and microphones. According to a study from the journal Computers in Human Behavior about the potential digital harms of smart appliances, this is a risk with appliances like Ring doorbell cameras and baby monitors that connect to your WiFi, as well as Google Home and Amazon Alexa devices. There’s no evidence that this happens with regularity, but it is possible.

Another concern is a cyberattack on a company connected to your smart appliances. In this case, your concern should be focused on the credit card and payment information that’s stored within the company’s servers.

Finally, if there’s a cyberattack on one smart appliance company, the homeowner could lose access to their IoT devices. “Cybercriminals may gain control of the devices, lock out the user, or disrupt functionality, using the security of the device to prevent the user from access,” says Young. Even after the attack, it would take time for the professionals to get everything back up and running with improved security measures.

These are most common ways cybercriminals can break into your home network through IoT devices:

• Weak or Default Passwords: A lot of smart devices come with default passwords that don’t often change from product to product, making it easy for knowledgable hackers to break into your device. If your password is weak or can be easily figured out—like your address—that is also a pathway inside.
• Unsecured Networks: Don’t leave your home WiFi network open for anyone to use. Cybercriminals can easily break into your smart appliances through an unsecured network. Make sure it’s password protected.
• Outdated Firmware: Many smart devices aren’t regularly updated, leaving them vulnerable to security flaws which can then be exploited by hackers, explains Young.
• Phishing and Malware: Maybe don’t ignore those training videos your work makes you watch. Cybercriminals can gain access to the vulnerable information they seek by tricking users into downloading malware.

Dahbura adds that there are even websites devoted to exposing home devices that aren’t protected, like home cameras, which show the camera outputs in real-time for anyone to watch. It’s imperative that you take the necessary precautions to protecting your home network.

Basically, look at the common ways hackers can break in and start from there.

1. Choose strong passwords
2. Secure your home network with password protection
3. Disable unnecessary access accounts to your WiFi network
4. Update your software whenever you can
5. Buy from reputable companies
6. Limit the devices you’re using to manage your IoT appliances.
7. Be wary of offers via email and popups that sound too good to be true and keep up with the latest phishing scams.
8. Install two-factor authentication wherever you can. More and more accounts require it now because it adds an extra strong layer of security.

If someone is dedicated enough to learn vulnerable information about you through your smart appliances, they also know enough to remain largely undetectable while creeping through your home network. However, there are some signs to look out for.

Young explains that one of the first signs of a compromised network is seeing unfamiliar devices connected to your WiFi. You should be able to see what devices are connected by checking out your router settings page or using a network scanning tool. Other key indicators include:

• Unfamiliar Programs: Finding unknown software on your devices could be from a cybercriminal trying to gain control of or monitor your appliances. This malware can run in the background, slowing things down and consuming resources.
• Popups and Ads: If you’re suddenly being bombarded with popups and ads when that doesn’t typically happen, it could be an indicator that your devices have been exposed to adware or malware.
• Unauthorized Logins: Notifications that an unknown device has attempted to log in to any of your accounts is potentially a sign that your network has been breached.
• Password Reset Requests: Similarly, if you’ve been receiving notifications to reset your passwords for accounts you didn’t request or have been unexpectedly logged out of accounts, that’s a strong indicator of a breach.
• Alerts from Security Software: Getting frequent alerts from your malware or antivirus detection software that there have been more threats could indicate that your network and/or devices have been compromised.

You likely won’t get a blinking message telling you that an unrecognized device has been connected to your network and is trying to steal your data, unless you’ve already set up systems in which to catch that, such as two-factor verification.

If you have good reason to suspect that your home network has been breached, whether it’s by an individual or a massive attack on a company, the first thing you should do is disconnect those devices from your Internet access so the cybercriminals can’t move around further in your network, says Young. Then you should change every single password on IoT devices and appliances before changing the passwords on your social media, bank accounts, and any other sensitive platforms. If you use protective services like LifeLock, notify them of the breach too. Even after taking these steps, you should still be on the look out for unusual activity listed above.

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