QUESTION: Smart home: how to secure your network and devices?

Securing a modern smart home ecosystem requires a comprehensive approach that starts with protecting your home Wi-Fi network. The first step should always be creating an isolated guest network for connecting all Internet of Things gadgets so that if a smart lightbulb or kettle is hacked, attackers cannot access your main computer or smartphone containing personal data.

For your router, be sure to use a strong and complex administrator password, regularly update the router firmware to the current version, and disable the WPS function, which often becomes a vulnerability for unauthorized external access.

Smart home devices themselves also require constant attention to security settings. Regularly check for software updates for each gadget and install them in a timely manner, as manufacturers patch discovered security flaws.

In addition to digital hygiene, you should critically evaluate device functionality and apply the 80/20 rule, focusing on solving key comfort and safety tasks such as leak protection, video surveillance, and access control, and only then integrate secondary entertainment elements.