We have more and more computers connected to the Internet in our homes. IoT devices are increasingly present and we have a wide range of possibilities. Now, keep in mind that this can also open the door to different threats and attacks. In this article we are going to talk about which are the vulnerable smart devices that we can have without knowing it. We will also give some tips to protect ourselves.
Vulnerable IoT devices that we can have
The Internet of Things is made up of all kinds of computers connected to the network. We speak, for example, of televisions, video players, light bulbs … There are many alternatives we have and with the passage of time we have more. All this is very useful for our day to day, but we must also bear in mind that there are certain vulnerabilities that could damage security.
Smart thermostats
One of the devices that we can have in our home are smart thermostats . They are useful for saving money and making homes more efficient. They can collect information about the use, when we are in the house … In this way they can turn the heating or air conditioning on or off.
However, these smart devices are often vulnerable. They have uncorrected bugs and can be the entry of threats that compromise our network. At the end of the day we can control them through applications from the mobile, but an intruder could also do it.
Smoke detectors
Something similar happens with the smoke detectors that we can have in a house or a workplace. They serve to improve the security of that place and it is permanently connected to the Internet to notify us in case it has detected smoke.
Like smart thermostats, smoke detectors could be vulnerable and exposed on the network. They are also used to detect excess carbon dioxide in the environment, which is why they are increasingly used by users.
Light bulbs
Smart bulbs are also widely used and on the rise. Very useful to turn off or on from the mobile, regulate the brightness, etc. Once again we find a device connected to the home network. Also in this case there can be many and not just a specific team.
Printers
Today’s printers have nothing to do with those of a few years ago. Now we can control them from the mobile thanks to its Wi-Fi connectivity. But they are also one of those computers that can be attacked by intruders. In fact we have seen many attacks directed at them.
Video Players
On the other hand, we cannot leave video players behind. They are also on the rise and there are more and more options. The way we watch television has changed a lot and Streaming has great importance. They are, therefore, highly attacked by hackers when they detect vulnerabilities.
How to avoid problems with smart devices
We have seen which devices can be most prone to security flaws. Now we are going to show some essential tips to protect ourselves and prevent them from suffering some type of attack.
Keep them updated
Without a doubt, something very important is to keep the equipment updated correctly. Having the firmware with the latest version is essential to correct these bugs we are talking about. Usually it is the manufacturers themselves who release regular updates to improve both performance and security.
Use strong passwords
Of course passwords are also very important. We must create keys that are strong and complex. They must contain letters (uppercase and lowercase), numbers, and other special symbols. All this, in addition, in a random way. Only in this way will we protect well IoT devices that may be vulnerable.
Disable some features
Most of these devices bring different features and functions . They allow you to configure them to achieve some control in some aspects, for example. However, we must bear in mind that some of these features could also reduce security. They could be the entrance to the attackers.
We must disable features that may expose personal information. We can always re-enable them at any given time in case we need them.
Turn off connectivity if we don’t use it
What if we don’t really use the connectivity of these devices? Many of them do not need to be connected to the network to work. We can choose to turn off the connectivity and in this way also favor the security of these devices.
In short, these are some tips that we can take into account to improve security when using IoT devices. We leave you a tutorial to improve the security of the Internet of Things. A series of interesting recommendations.
