How to Stay Cybersecure While Using IoT Devices

The Internet of Things, otherwise known as IoT, is the term used to describe the network of devices all linked via a built-in ability to connect to the Internet. The term may or may not be unfamiliar to you, but you’ve surely seen these devices in your everyday life — from baby monitors to smart doorbells to digital personal assistants (like Alexa and Siri) to smart thermostats and digital health trackers and  even more! Whether you know it or not, IoT is likely  ingrained in your life in more ways than one! Because of this, it is essential that you navigate the use of these items tactfully and with security at top of mind. To help with this feat, we’ll dive into five helpful tips to keep you and your family cyber secure while using your IoT devices. 

Do your digging – Be sure you do your research when deciding which IoT devices to purchase. Some companies prioritize device security more than others and those are the folks you’ll want to purchase your items from. This sets you up for success before your item even arrives in the mail. Additionally, companies that build their IoT devices with security in mind can reasonably be assumed to prioritize cybersecurity in all areas of their business, making you less likely to fall victim to something caused by a company’s poor defenses, such as a data breach. 

Do not leave the device with the factory security settings — Even if you purchase your IoT devices from a reputable company, it is crucial that you update your device from the factory settings. If you left the settings as they were when you bought them, then you leave yourself open to attack,  as the same device settings on your item will also be applied to all other devices sold by the manufacturer. 

Keep devices up-to-date — Companies will often push out software updates for devices when vulnerabilities with prior operating system iterations are identified or when additional features are made available. Be sure to update your devices often — be sure to at least install all updates tied to security improvements, even if you are uninterested in the additional features updates. 

Use strong password hygiene – Not only should you use strong, unique passwords for every device login that you have, but you should be sure that you set up and use two-factor authentication for all of your devices. This step involves linking another means to contact you (typically via phone or email) so that a code can be sent every time you try to login to verify that it’s truly you trying to use the device and not some random person who happened to gain access to your account login data. This takes up less than a minute of your time at each login, but can be the difference between your account being breached and the device being insecure versus avoiding such actions being taken against you. 

Consider setting up a secondary WiFi network – If you’d like to take your IoT cybersecurity a step further, you should consider setting up a secondary WiFi network just for your IoT devices to sit on. This protects your devices and ensures that your main network is not made vulnerable by use of IoT devices, just in case. 

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