Top 5 Tips for Smart Home Cybersecurity

In the 1980s Carnegie Mellon University researchers created a vending machine that connected to the internet and reported on its inventory. Thus, the IoT was born. As of 2020, as many as 21 billion IoT devices exist in the marketplace.

What we think of as the IoT is a collection of smart objects, like a thermostat, light, or sensor, which report information and receive commands. The IoT also encompasses wearables (like smart watches), biotech (such as smart pacemakers), and any network between a group of these devices.

We've compiled a list of cyber security tips that can help you protect your home network and security system. We sought the advice of our in-house cyber security expert to show how protecting your home and online presence go hand in hand.

Research Your Home Security System

AAA Smart Home cyber security lead David Judkins has been securing wireless networks for educational, corporate and retail entities like Stanford, Sephora and Ross since 1996. He runs experiments designed to prove which devices are reliable and which ones could be compromised.

In his words, "We test all our devices, first with a jamming attack, then with a cracking attack. We've discontinued devices that didn't pass and will continue to test our devices in the future." Here are a few examples of traits to look for in a smart home security system.

Two-Way Communication

He recommends investing in a system with two-way communication between its control panel and sensors. As Judkins worded it, "If a tree falls in the forest, if a sensor stops working, there's no way for it to communicate with the panel unless it has two-way communication."

Two-way communication enables the panel to get messages back from sensors, indicating that they're on and functioning. Without this, there's no way to know when a sensor is not functioning properly, and might fail.

AES 128-bit Encryption

As Judkins puts it, our sensors "offer better encryption than your average sensors" —128-bit AES (American Encryption Standard) to be exact. Developed by Belgian scholars and established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001, AES is the first and only cipher available to the public that the NSA also uses to encode top-secret information. According to Judkins, it’s the kind that “your average hacker would have a hard time breaking."

PowerG

Our devices run on PowerG, which has many benefits for home security systems. Its energy efficiency lengthens device battery life to up to 8 years, so you need fewer repairs and replacements. To do this, it uses an adaptive transmission algorithm to optimize energy usage.

PowerG combines the convenience of easily-installed wireless technology with the reliability of a hardwired system. Its high transmission range reaches up to 6500 feet or 2000 meters, so even devices spaced far apart can connect. (This means you need fewer repeaters installed even between devices that are far apart.)

All in all, it's important to do your research and not be fooled by the low price tags out there. As Judkins notes, "Some of the cheaper technology that's widely available today is about 20 years old and may be so ubiquitous because it's easy to hack and not as valuable as higher priced items."

Use Password Best Practices

Even a password with 20 characters and a few symbols should be refreshed regularly. We recommend you change your password whenever any of these things happen:

• A year passes.

• You use it to log into a public or shared computer or network.

• After receiving a notification of unauthorized access to your account.

• Malware is running on your computer system or mobile device (evidence of this includes slow performance, short battery life or pop up ads).

• After the disclosure of a server intrusion (any unauthorized activity on a computer network).

• You shared passwords with someone who no longer needs access to the account.

Mark your calendar or set up a reminder to change your passwords regularly. This is where a password manager can also make life much easier, by automating this.

Protect Your Home WiFi Network

A home security system like AAA Smart Home uses a dedicated cellular line which serves as a second point of access for your home security system. This means that if your home WiFi network is hacked, your security system can still relay messages between its devices and your monitoring station.

There are other measures you can take to protect your home WiFi network as well:

• Change its name, also known as the SSID (Service Set Identifier). Don't identify your home in your new SSID.

• Use a strong password; not the manufacturer default, which some hackers can guess based on the brand.

• When you're not using your home network for an extended period of time, consider turning it off.

• Place your router as close as you can to the center of your home to offer equal access to WiFi in all rooms of your house, and avoid extending your network outside the home. This leaves it open to outsiders who are still in range.

• Encrypt your home WiFi network so it's on WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) or higher.

AAA Smart Home carries a Smart Gateway which separates your security camera network from your user network, giving it its own SSID. It doesn't have many of the vulnerabilities that lead to common hacking attempts on personal computers.

If someone hacked into your personal computer's WiFi network, they couldn't use it as a point of entry for your security cameras. These are included in our Ultimate Control Self-Install Kits.

Always Update Your Software & Firmware

Software updates may seem like a hassle because they take a few minutes and interrupt what you're doing—especially when an application seems to work just fine. But in spite of this, we recommend you allow software and firmware updates on your security devices and apps (along with your smartphone and other devices).

Hackers can access personal data through known vulnerabilities in web applications if software updates aren't implemented. Keep your personal information safe by always updating the software and firmware on your devices and applications.

Firmware, or microcode, is used to carry out the core functions of the hardware rather than to perform its interactive functions, which is what software is for. Updates are released to fix any security issues or address vulnerabilities that arise after a product goes to market. Check your device settings to see what firmware version it’s running on, and verify that it’s the most current version available.

Let's Review

In summation, there is no foolproof way to eliminate cyber vulnerabilities. However, there are a few broad measures you can take to protect yourself. Together, they can help you make your home safer, smarter and more secure.

1. Use password best practices (create strong ones, update them, and use a password manager)

2. Carefully guard your home WiFi network

3. Update your software and firmware

4. Actively screen your home security provider's track record for cyber security

Hopefully these tips help you prevent cyber security issues before they arise.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in April 2020 and has been revamped and updated for comprehensiveness.