Enhance Your Cybersecurity by Isolating Smart Devices on a Dedicated Network
Whether or not you agree with the convenience and utility of smart devices many have found more prevalent in our homes, they are certainly ubiquitous. These products have become an essential part of contemporary living from smart thermostats to voice-activated assistants. But, with efficiency and automation come risks that automatically create a vulnerability on your home network. We are quickly moving into an era where cybersecurity risks are growing in complexity, both due to the sophistication of emerging threats and the innovation of hackers looking for new ways to exploit weaknesses in smart devices. That is why creating your smart devices on their network is an excellent way to increase your security.
The Rise of Smart Devices and the Hidden Risks
Intelligent devices or Internet of Things (IoT) devices bring a lot of benefits, but they are not free from cyber threats. Some of these devices are equipped with very limited security mechanisms, i.e., smart lights, or smart cameras, and locks medical device attackers can easily exploit. This persistence factor is the main vulnerability of these devices, as most are permanently connected to the internet (so at all times a raptor can get in).
Additionally, many manufacturers put functionality and cost-effectiveness ahead of security. Because of this, many devices ship with hardcoded default passwords or weak encryption making them easy to attack. After all, as I described in the last article, if hackers have access to even one device they can make that a bridge into your network giving access to your data by sending back real-life copies of selfies taken on demand!
Benefits of a Separate Network
This type of network separation allows you to isolate your smart devices from a vital part of your home network, where computers and smartphones with sensitive data. This little detail is going to make it much more difficult for any hacker trying to impersonate someone else and gain access to your essential files or private materials.
Improved Security: In this way, you can isolate your IoT devices from the rest of your network, and if a user has been successfully executed on one smart device, it uses lateral movement to try and access more valuable data within your network. Even if a smart appliance gets hacked it can only affect that particular network, as opposed to infecting all your main devices but home internet helpers do mean sharing passwords.
Better Control and Monitoring: Smart devices are located on a separate network to enable easier tracking of network traffic. Any anomaly or strange stuff can easily get a sign of warning and close up before it disseminates along each layer. Minimizing traffic to your smartphone or laptop allows it easier and quicker to detect anomalies in the attached smart devices.
Streamlined Device Management: Another network gives better control of your smart devices. This can be used, for example, to assign certain network permissions or even security settings without having them affect other units. Doing so also makes it very easy to troubleshoot. You can keep your smart device issues confined to a single isolated network.
How to Set Up a Separate Network for Smart Devices
Creating a separate network for your smart devices is not rocket science, but several preparational steps should be followed.
Use a Guest Network: Most of the routers these days provide an option to have a guest network. A straightforward, but efficient way to set up a dedicated network for all your smart devices. This means putting every single one of your IoT devices on the guest network, and effectively walling them off from the main network: unlike all those other devices; none of these can talk to each other.
Invest in a Second Router: This may also be the case for advanced users who have many smart devices. By setting up one router for your highly sensitive equipment (PCs, Smartphones, etc) and another for smart home devices you maintain 100% network isolation. You can also configure the platform to use more sophisticated resiliency features on a per-router basis e.g. stronger security protections for sensitive data.
Virtual LAN (VLAN) Configuration: Create a Virtual LAN (VLAN) if you know your way around technology. No need for further routers: By creating a VLAN, you can virtually partition your network without additional nodes. VLANs are to separate your smart devices while all of them connect on physically the same port or switch.
Enable WPA3 Encryption: No matter how you establish another, always opt for extreme encryption protection. WPA3: As the newest Wi-Fi security standard, WPA3 is far more robust than the older WPA2. WPA3 If your router is compatible and so are all other devices on a network, you might consider turning it on to protect against brute-force attacks.
Additional Steps to Secure Your Smart Devices
It is important to isolate those smart devices on another network; however, that is only the first step and should be followed by additional security measures to make them even more challenging for hackers.
Change Default Passwords: One of the simplest ways to secure your smart devices is by altering default login credentials. Most IoT devices have default username and password combinations that are either trivial to guess or can be found on the Internet. Use different and strong passwords at all times.
Keep Software Updated: Manufacturer updates to devices for vulnerabilities they fixed Update all your devices you can manually check for & install updates as well.
Disable Unnecessary Features: A lot of smart devices have some features or settings that are turned on, but may not be required to use. For example, some offer remote access capabilities, meaning you can turn it on or off while outside of the home network. Disabling unnecessary functionalities decreases the attacker’s playground and closes potential entry points.
Utilize Firewalls and Intrusion Detection Systems: Add a firewall or an intrusion detection system (where appropriate for your setup) to your network. These tools can track traffic coming to and leaving the network, identify unsafe activities blocking, and warn of potential danger.
The Future of Smart Device Security
With the increasing use of smart devices, security requirements are also likely to increase. The changes are already in motion with governments and industry groups addressing the security weaknesses of IoT devices, mostly through regulations that countries are implementing to demand increased security over cyber threats from manufacturers. Yet until these standards are universally embraced, it is on the consumers to secure themselves.
With proper network isolation between your smart devices and following best common practices, you can be safe in the digital world against any possible cyber threats while enjoying the comfort and innovation these brought. Smart homes are evolving, and as such securing your network will play a key role in our daily digital lives.
Conclusion
Smart devices have changed the way we communicate with our houses, though they also pose major security threats. Taking the proactive approach by establishing a separate network for your IoT devices can vastly lessen the likelihood of a cyberattack stealing your personal information. Actually, by simply creating a guest network, updating device software, and changing default passwords you can keep your home as illuminated and secure….from hackers.
