Smart Home

Live in a trendy home, not in a hounted house.


The term "Smart Home" means "smart home". With the help of sensors and information technology, the user can control his home from a distance. Improved quality of life, reduced operating costs and increased home security are just a few advantages of smart home solutions.

Whether you spontaneously leave work early and turn on the heating from your desk, forget what is left in the fridge when you get to the supermarket and look at your smartphone for a glimpse, or just want to make sure you have the hob switched off on holiday - the Smart Home makes all this and more possible.

There are a variety of applications and systems that turn the home and household into a Smart Home:

Building automation:

  • Door and garage access
  • Indoor and outdoor lighting
  • Blinds
  • Heating control
  • Electricity meter: Smart Meter

Automation of home appliances:

  • Electrical appliances
  • Fridge
  • Washing machine
  • Coffee maker

Connected entertainment:

  • Smart TV
  • Network audio

Security:

  • Surveillance cameras
  • Door and window sensors
  • Smoke alarms
  • Digital door locks

Smart Home compatible devices are usually linked to each other via the Internet or radio connection and can be managed via a central control unit, such as an app for the smartphone or tablet. Systems with voice control such as Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Google Home Kit or Siri are also very popular.

Main risks

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Data leak

Can do as much damage as a water leak…

Data leak

The smart home is constantly collecting large amounts of data. For example, Alexa is constantly "listening" to be ready to act at the right time. If all smart home apps are controlled by a single app, the attack surface for hackers is vast. A baby monitor and security cameras, as well as information on cell phones currently connected to Wi-Fi, allow conclusions to be drawn about residents. Thus, it is possible to quickly know whether the house is occupied or not. A break-in can then take place in peace. It is therefore all the more important to be aware of the risk and to guard against possible cyber attacks. If the transmission and storage are not encrypted, there is also a risk of manipulation and espionage during data transmission
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Diversion

An army of robots who want to harm us…

Diversion

Connected objects can also be objects of attacks that do not target them directly, but aim to turn them into "zombies" to form networks of remotely controlled "botnet" robots. These botnets are generally used to launch denial of service attacks (DDOS - Distributed Denial of Service). In case attackers manage to take control enough IoT devices to form a botnet, they can activate them simultaneously to generate an intense artificial data flow and overload networks. This results in the unavailability of information networks or systems, sometimes vital for individuals, companies or communities.
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Tracking

« Home sweet home” is watching you!

Tracking

Another aspect of surveillance may be the intrusion of third parties into the privacy of citizens. A large amount of information collected by home automation instruments can tell a lot about our lifestyles and behaviours. If it falls into the wrong hands, this information could be used to monitor, control or influence us.

Protection tips

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Password

0000 is null for the password...

Password

The first precaution to take is to ensure a high level of password complexity. A password must contain a mixture of upper- and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. You can test the strength of your password through free tools such as https://howsecureismypassword.net/.

Default accounts of connected objects are generally known and appear in public documentation. It is, therefore, very easy for an attacker to test these front doors in an attempt to take control of an IoT. When first accessing the configuration settings of the IoT device, it is advisable to create your personal administrator account and then delete the default accounts. This way, attacks on these easy targets can be prevented.
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Before you buy, do some research

« Clever Akafen »

Before you buy, do some research

In order to reduce the risks, it is advisable to choose recognised products from reputable manufacturers. These manufacturers generally have the means to invest in the development of quality products.

Before buying a device, check:
• whether encrypted communication can be activated,
• whether long-term security updates are provided,
• what data is transmitted to the manufacturer,
• how the data collected is processed and used.
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Regular updates

Patch, Patch, Patches...

Regular updates

One of the major issues is a common suspect in cybersecurity: failing to install software updates ("patches"). It is particularly important to use the patches provided by the suppliers. This is especially important for connected objects which are -by definition- permanently exposed to potential attacks. When updates are available for home automation devices, they should be installed immediately. If there is an automated update feature, it should be enabled.
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Network connection

Close the front door...

Network connection

In order for home automation devices to offer their functions, they collect data. If unauthorised third parties gain access to this data, depending on the volume and nature of it, they may know a lot about your household habits and could use this information for bad purposes.

Thieves could use this data to take control of your home or to organise a burglary knowing your habits perfectly.

Make sure data is encrypted between all devices, data transmitted wirelessly can be operated from outside.

If you are networking your IoT devices, set up a separate network for them through a router. This segmentation means that smart home appliances have no connection to sensitive data or devices.

If you pass on your Wi-Fi password to guests, it is best to set up another separate network beforehand so that your friends and acquaintances can roam. This is how you ensure that only network access data "leave the house" in which no other IoT device in your smart home is integrated.

  • Check your Internet connection: you do not need an Internet connection for every device to be able to use all the features. Therefore, turn off the often predefined UPnP feature, which automatically establishes a connection to the Internet through port forwarding.
  • Configure VPN access: If you want to remotely control IoT devices on the Internet, you should configure VPN access to prevent data traffic manipulation and snooping.
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Device deactivation

Because an oversight can become a flaw…

Device deactivation

Any IoT device integrated into the network has potential flaws and vulnerabilities. A device that is not in use may also be forgotten in inventory or security updates. Therefore, do not hesitate to deactivate any device that is not in use.
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Disposal

Because everything has an end…

Disposal

In the event of prolonged non-use or obsolescence, home automation devices should be removed from the network and be disposed of. IoT devices often have a memory that stores information or configurations that reveal aspects related to the security of your network. Do not forget to delete this data from the devices.
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Contract

Dura lex sed lex…

Contract

As with any contract, careful reading is required. The general conditions of use of a connected object can be long and complex, but they are not trivial because they legally bind their users.

In case of a complete home automation system, it will be necessary to check the actual extent of the warranty in the event of material damage caused by the system to your home.