What are the risks of using smart home devices, and how can users mitigate them?

First, individual devices may not be secure. Some IoT home devices are rushed to market, and their security may not have been adequately addressed. In some cases, user manuals don’t address privacy concerns or give you enough information to be sure the device is secure. For instance, baby monitors and security cameras have been hacked, giving criminals the ability to see inside a house.If your home network is controlled from your main internet account, it’s not just data from your IoT devices that could be at risk. Any vulnerability could compromise your private information, including emails, your social media accounts and even your bank accounts.
The first step in addressing home security is to isolate your smart home network from your other networks. This is relatively easy to do by setting up guest networks for your IoT home devices. For example, your fridge could still be hacked to make it part of a botnet that sends spam or mines cryptocurrencies. However, since it occupies its own network, it won’t be able to access your emails or bank account.Secondly, ensure that the access, control and delivery devices on your network are secure. That might include smart speakers, your internet router, your computer and your smartphone. Your smartphone, if hacked or stolen, could compromise your entire home security system, so make securing it your top priority by purchasing Android security or security for iOS devices.