“Hey Google, is anyone listening?”
“Always.”
Our connection to the digital world seems to grow daily. That includes physical devices placed in homes across the country.
Privacy advocates aren’t so sure that they’re a good idea.
We’ll let you decide and share proven ways to protect your data. Plus still enjoy your favorite music or podcast.
Here we go.
What Are Smart Home Devices?
This technology turns you into a virtual conductor of sorts. And your residence is the orchestra.
Smart home devices allow you to control:
- Thermostats
- Appliances
- Lights
- Speakers
All you need is a WiFi connection, smartphone or tablet, and a smart gadget.
Reasons vary for purchasing them. Impressing friends is surely on the list.
But a bigger one is convenience.
They provide the weather so you can dress accordingly. Or play background music while you cook dinner.
For cybersecurity professionals like us, it starts the coffee in the morning. A valuable feature.
How Many Homes Have Smart Devices?
Some utility companies have been offering deals on smart thermostats.
So, it’s worth looking at how many people have taken advantage of this push:
- The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) found that 69% of Americans have smart devices for home
If you’re in the market for one, go through the following checklist for the right brand:
- Clear policies on privacy
- Upfront security information
- Refusal to share data with third parties
Now, we’ll address your likely concern.
Cybersecurity Protection on Smart Devices
You’ve seen how popular home devices are.
However, they don’t always receive the best press. Disney is one example.
The bigger brands like Amazon and Google create skeptics of wary consumers.
But there’s ways to protect your identity even on Google Home smart devices:
- Reset shared devices during splits
- Enable auto-delete on voice assistants
- Keep apps and passwords up to date
- Mute your mic as needed
Did you roommate just move out? Tough breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend? Wipe your device and create new passwords.
Go to privacy voice settings and delete the snippets of conversations Alexa records. What you say can be deleted from the cloud regularly.
Make sure to download updates for the apps. And use a WiFi that is encrypted and password protected. Try something harder to crack than, “Your last name + WiFi.”
Finally, all devices should have a mute button. Use it if you want conversations with friends to be open. Nobody likes eavesdropping anyways.
To conclude, having a team monitoring your contact information across the web is the best defense.
Cyber Team U.S. Identity Protection Services
It’s important to work with a cybersecurity company to safeguard your data. So, naturally we’ll start with us.
For one thing, we proudly serve our customers as a U.S. cyber team. Imagine that. Keeping the data of Americans on our shores.
Pretty novel concept huh?
Veteran-owned, our services are performed by various vendors. Add to that multiple suppliers.
And the result you get is a decreased risk of compromised personal information! We’ll assume you’re okay with that.
We offer a cybersecurity protection plan for freelancers, families, and others seeking a better choice over big-box companies.
Take the first step to safeguard your identity and also that of your loved ones!