Could your SMART Home be Hacked ?

Modern homes today are getting internet-connected light bulbs, thermostats, TVs, speakers and other SMART devices. so with a simple voice command or the touch of a button on your smartphones, we can set a the temperature, turn on a light or prepare the TV to record a program.

What could go wrong ?

A lot more than most people are prepared for it, it turns out. If one of these devices get hijacked, hackers could potentially snoop around for sensitive data like financial, health and personal information. Or these could use a network of compromised devices to perform a widespread attack that takes down major websites (e.g. Oct 2016)

The number of smart homes in North America is expected to hit 73 million by 2021, making up more than 50% of all households. By the end of 2016, more than 21.8 million smart homes had already been connected, creating new problems and anxieties for homeowners.

Most of these devices can be operated remotely through apps and online portals. So to protect themselves from these hacks, consumers must secure the connected home appliances themselves as well as the computers and phones that control them.