| Smart devices have helped to make our lives so much more convenient. However, they can also pose a significant safety threat. Whether you are using a smartphone or smart home products, as they are connected to the internet, they remain vulnerable to hackers. So, how can you make sure you use these smart devices safely? Below, we’ll look at some of the best smart device safety tips you can follow. Strengthening Your Wi-Fi Security As the main threat to smart devices comes through the internet, it’s advisable to check your Wi-Fi connection. Ideally, you’ll want to make sure your Wi-Fi has a strong encryption method, such as WPA2. It’s also a good idea to change the name of your router. Give it a random name not associated with your address. Another way to make your Wi-Fi more secure is to create a guest network. That way, if friends and family come around, they can connect to the guest network. Finally, you’ll want to secure the Wi-Fi with a strong password, as well as change the default name of the network. Keep Devices Locked with a Passcode Any smart devices you use should be kept secure with a passcode. You may also want to consider utilizing the face ID locking feature many devices have these days. With this feature, the smart device only unlocks through facial recognition. When setting a passcode, make sure it’s something nobody else can guess. Avoid memorable dates such as birthdays and anniversaries as these can be easy for hackers to guess. Don’t Click on Any Suspicious Links Criminals don’t just gain access to your devices by directly hacking into them. They can also trick you into letting them in. There is a substantial number of phishing scams out there, supplying harmful links for you to click on. These scams will usually ask you to confirm your account or change your password. Upon following the link and typing in your details, the hackers will have everything they need to steal your information. So, it’s important to never click on links provided in emails and text messages unless you know and trust the sender. Keep Security Software Updated Anti-virus protection and VPNs are great ways to keep your devices safe. However, they need to be regularly updated. This is because hackers and fraudsters are continuously finding ways around existing security measures. So, security software needs to be also constantly updated to deal with the latest threats. If your software hasn’t been updated in a while, now is the time to get it up to date. Tweak Their Privacy Settings All smart devices come with some form of privacy. However, these aren’t always switched on. So, take a minute to go into the privacy settings of the devices, and see if there is anything that needs to be tweaked. Keeping your devices secure is important in today’s digital world. There are constant cybersecurity threats you need to be aware of. As our homes become smarter, we need to take extra precautions to deter criminals from accessing them. |
