How to Secure Your IoT Devices: Best Practices of IoT Home Security

Internet of Things devices (or IoTs) have become very popular, with over 15 billion connected devices across the globe. The number is projected to cross 29 billion by 2030—that‘s about 3 IoT devices per person. 

This emerging technology plays an important role in remote work and study environments where IoT devices constantly collect data for optimization of crucial processes. However, this also makes them attractive targets for cybercriminals. 

A good example is the recent Roku incident in 2024, where hackers got access to about 15,000 accounts. The incident was serious because many smart home devices, like Roku, don’t have strong security. As a result, many Roku users lost money to unauthorized purchases. 

For businesses, IoT security issues can be more serious. According to the FBI, businesses in the US lost $12.5 billion in total to cybercrime in 2023 alone. Interestingly, a staggering 54% of companies experienced an average of over 60 of these attacks every week! These attacks targeted IoT devices like routers, IP cameras, DVRs, and more. 

Of course, the way forward is not to stop using these devices. Instead, we have to find safe means of using them without getting exposed. In this article, we will discuss how to secure IoT devices properly to protect your IoT devices from this emerging threat.

Let’s begin. 

What Is Internet of Things Security?

IoT devices are regular objects that have sensors or special software in them that allow them to connect to the Internet and run specific tasks. These devices could be anything from TVs to tables, baby monitors, etc.—as long as they can access information from the Internet and allow users to control them remotely.

While remote access and interconnectivity offer unprecedented convenience; sadly, they also increase the risk of malicious attacks. Many malicious actors are now on the lookout, seeking to exploit vulnerabilities of these IoTs and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data.

Internet of Things security has, therefore, emerged as a new field of computing. This field studies a range of measures and best practices aimed at protecting these connected devices, their associated networks, and the data they transmit. 

This multifaceted approach involves securing hardware, implementing robust software protocols, and educating users about potential threats.

Is Internet of Things Security That Important?

Internet of Things devices typically lack the robust security measures of more advanced computers; as a result, they are vulnerable to malware attacks. You might think, why bother? It’s just a regular sports watch—what’s the worst that could happen?

Well, a lot of bad things, actually. These devices are constantly collecting data about you to make your life better. For instance, your smartwatch has details about exercise routines, location history, some of your health data, and more. Imagine this data in the wrong hands.

Further reading: Taking Control: Removing Your Info from Data Brokers

Imagine if the feeds from your camera get into the wrong hands. Terrible right? Or, imagine hackers get access to remotely control a self-driven car. 

In the business world, losing money is probably the least of your worries. You could compromise your customers’ safety, leading to costly lawsuits or even a total shutdown—it’s that bad!

Therefore, if you use any of these smart gadgets, either for business or personal use, you should take Internet of Things security very seriously.  

Common IoT Device Security Threats

Before we show you how to protect IoT devices from hackers, here are some of the common IoT security issues you should know:

1. Botnet attacks

A single IoT device infected by an attacker doesn’t cause much damage. However, if they take over many IoT devices, they can build a “botnet.”

Botnet IoT attacks look like an army of compromised devices that collaborate to attack other networked systems. Attackers can direct these infected devices to tasks like overwhelming a network with data or sending spam using a botnet.

A good example is the Mirai botnet attack that occurred in 2017. Cybercriminals used a massive IoT botnet to interfere with Dyn, a DNS service provider. Huge portions of the Internet were down due to this one attack.

This affected well-known media outlets like Reddit, Netflix, Twitter, and CNN.

2. Man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks

Also called on-path attacks, these happen when cybercriminals take advantage of gaps in IoT devices’ network communication protocols. They can get private, sensitive data this way.

They might even change the information transferred between IoT devices and servers to gain access to private data or the system.

3. Ransomware

A ransomware attack happens when hackers lock your files remotely and demand money to unlock them. Even though most IoT devices don’t hold sensitive information, ransomware can still affect them.

However, unlike regular ransomware, IoT device ransomware attacks typically don’t encrypt data for ransom.

Instead, they turn off the device’s primary features. This may include turning off a camera or microphone or shutting down an essential industrial device for the company.

For example, the Colonial Pipeline attack caused the corporation to cease operations to stop ransomware from causing significant harm. 

This caused fuel shortages in the US Southeast. The results might have been disastrous if the malware had spread further.

4. Privilege escalation

Cybercriminals can get unwanted access to a network by taking advantage of bugs, unresolved issues, or design faults in IoT devices.
After they’re inside, they can take advantage of other problems to access higher levels.

5. DDoS

DDos (distributed denial of service) attacks occur when hackers use multiple compromised systems to flood your device with fake traffic. By doing this, the hacker overwhelms the computing resources of the device and makes it unavailable for you to use.
DDoS attacks have significantly increased over the years. This increase may be related to botnets and compromised IoT devices.

For instance, when botnet malware infects IoT devices, cybercriminals can use those devices as tools for massive cyberattacks like DDoS attacks.

6. Firmware vulnerability attacks

These attacks target the basic software (firmware) that runs on a device. Attackers look for weaknesses in this software to gain control of the device.

7. Credential attacks

These attacks aim to steal or guess usernames and passwords. They might use common passwords, try to trick you into revealing your password, or use special software to guess it.

8. Physical hardware-based attacks

These involve physically tampering with a device. An attacker might open up the device, connect wires to it, or replace parts to gain access or steal information.

Related: TOP 10 Cyber Security Threats: All You Need to Know 

Best Ways to Secure Internet of Things Security Devices

Here are the IoT device security best practices to help you secure your IoT devices:

1. Set your router properly

Correct Wi-Fi router setup is one of the crucial factors in securing IoT devices for a safe smart home. Since your router is the main entry point for all your IoT devices, hackers will attack it heavily.

One way to prevent this is to change the manufacturer’s default name. This is important because the default name usually contains easily accessible information.

Choose a unique name that conceals personal information. Also, create a unique, powerful password by combining letters, numbers, and symbols.

Create an unbreakable password with a random password generator for extra security. Also, confirm that your router uses the strongest encryption, such as WPA2 (the most recent standard is WPA3). 

It could be time to upgrade your router if it only supports outdated protocols like WPA or WEP.

2. Disable features you don’t use

Turning off rarely used features can help reduce possible entry points and improve security in general.

For instance, IoT devices frequently have remote control features, even those we use primarily for residential Wi-Fi networks. It’s advisable to turn off remote access in these situations.

Similarly, some smart devices might not need Bluetooth. An example is speakers with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. 

Voice control is a feature that many smart TVs have, but it’s usually ignored even in homes with voice-activated assistants like Google Assistant, Siri, or Alexa. Turning it off can help you prevent your chats from being hacked by a compromised microphone.

3. Enable multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds a degree of security to password-only security, typically in the form of two-factor authentication (2FA).

You need further identity verification when someone tries to access your Internet of Things devices in your home.

A one-time pin (OTP) or verification code given to your phone or email to verify the person’s identity can serve as this proof.

Although most smart devices already have 2FA enabled, you can use third-party apps like Google Authenticator to enable it for those that don’t. 

Adding a layer of security through a reliable third-party provider can give you additional peace of mind, even if your IoT device already offers 2FA through its mobile app.

So, if you want to know how to protect IoT devices, consider two-factor authentication.

4. Perform penetration testing

One way to know how to manage IoT devices is to conduct penetration testing. Connected devices usually have built-in vulnerabilities because they are meant to be user-friendly.

The idea behind this is to evaluate security policies, regulatory compliance, risk response, and finding and understanding vulnerabilities. 

For businesses, performing pen tests might require that you hire cybersecurity experts or pentest companies. However, for personal use, you may conduct it on your own (if you can).

Before integrating IoT devices into your home, you need to perform in-depth tests on the devices by following these tips:

• Device identification and inventory: Thoroughly identify and catalog all IoT devices on the network, including their types, firmware versions, and communication protocols.
• Firmware analysis: Extract and analyze device firmware for hardcoded credentials, encryption keys, and known vulnerabilities in third-party components.
• Network communication security: Examine the security of device communications, focusing on protocol vulnerabilities, encryption weaknesses, and potential man-in-the-middle attack vectors.
• Authentication and access control: Test the strength of authentication mechanisms, default credentials, and access controls for both device interfaces and associated cloud services.
• Data privacy and encryption: Evaluate how devices collect, store, and transmit data, ensuring proper encryption and compliance with data protection regulations.

Also read: Ultimate Guide to Online Safety: How to Prevent Phishing Attacks

5. Improve your security through network segmentation

Whenever you integrate IoT devices into your network, you should always consider that there could be security breaches. For instance, if a smart thermostat gets hacked, the hacker could gain access to important company data via other devices connected to the same network.

To prevent this, you can practice network segmentation.

With this division, you can put devices that require heavy security on separate networks and have your smart devices on a different sub-network. 

With this strategy, your company can stop unauthorized users from infiltrating neighboring subnetworks. 

Also, network segmentation strengthens your overall security by reducing the number of possible entry points to critical data within the segmented areas.

6. Keep your software updated

It’s crucial to install any software updates that come in for your phone. Usually, these updates come with fixes to address security flaws.

Updating your system software is essential for safeguarding your devices against online dangers. If you want to know how to control IoT devices, update your software.

Related: How to Avoid Backdoor Attacks 

Tips for Protecting Specific Internet of Things Security Devices

If you want to know how to control IoT devices, follow the tips to secure your specific IoT devices. It’s crucial to protect your privacy and preserve the integrity of your connected home.

Here are some hints to secure specific IoT devices:

1. Smartphones and tablets

Start with basic security measures like password-protected devices, device locks with PINs, or biometric locks. Update the operating system and apps frequently, and check and limit app permissions.

If your device is lost or stolen, you can secure your data by activating remote tracking.

2. Smart speakers

To restrict device access to authorized users, consider changing the default wake word on smart speakers and turning on voice recognition.

Use secure Wi-Fi passwords and turn off the microphone when not in use. Remember to upgrade the firmware regularly to fix security vulnerabilities.

3. Smart thermostats

You can secure your smart thermostats by changing the default login information, connecting smart thermostats to different networks, and ensuring encrypted data transmission.

If available, change the user’s rights and turn on two-factor authentication.

4. Smart cameras

Smart cameras require strong, one-of-a-kind passwords in addition to regular software updates. To prevent unwanted catches, use secure Wi-Fi encryption, create privacy zones, and install cameras strategically to preserve your privacy.

IoT Device Security and Children’s Safety

IoT technology, including smart toys, offers loads of benefits but, at the same time, poses serious security concerns for children.

The Safe-KID-One smartwatch recall exemplifies these dangers. In 2019, the EU ordered a recall of the smartwatch after concerns of data safety were discovered. Unencrypted communications allowed unauthorized access to personal data like location history and phone numbers. 

As a parent, you cannot deny that these security threats are real. But then, you can mitigate these risks by understanding and actively addressing safety concerns when using IoT technologies with your children.

The following are some tips that might be helpful:

• Research and select IoT toys with robust security measures.
• Teach children the importance of not disclosing personal information on these devices.
• Regularly update device firmware and software to patch security vulnerabilities.
• Monitor your child’’s online activities and IoT device usage.
• Disable unnecessary features like GPS tracking when not needed.
• Set up a separate network for IoT devices to isolate them from your main home network.
• Read and understand the privacy policies of IoT toys and apps.
• Use parental controls and content filters when available.
• Regularly check for recalls or security alerts related to your children’s IoT devices.

Best Home IoT Security Solutions

Considering the security risks that come with IoT devices, security solutions are becoming popular today. Many of these IoT security solutions claim to help users safeguard their smart homes and smart devices from hackers and other malicious actors. 

It would be unfair to show you the problem without showing you some possible IoT security solutions you can use. So, here’s an overview of some popular systems:

Ring Alarm Pro

Ring Alarm Pro is a popular IoT security solution that combines home security with a Wi-Fi 6 mesh router, offering professional monitoring and cellular backup. It features motion detection, entry sensors, and video doorbells, all controllable via a smartphone app. The system is designed for easy self-installation and integrates well with other smart home devices.

Vivint Smart Home

Vivint Smart Home provides professional installation and 24/7 monitoring with a wide range of devices, including cameras and smart locks. It’s known for advanced AI features for threat detection and seamless integration with popular voice assistants. 

ADT Command

ADT Command from a well-established security brand offers a world class IoT security solution coupled with professional installation and monitoring with touchscreen control panels. It includes remote arm/disarm capabilities and, custom alerts, and integrates with many smart home devices.

Internet of Things Security Devices: Explained

If you want to know how to secure IoT devices, follow the effective ways discussed in this guide. These IoT devices can make it more convenient to perform everyday activities.

However, as more and more IoT devices gain access to your house, the security of your data becomes a significant concern. That’s why it’s crucial to implement IoT security best practices to solve this issue.

Consider hiring IoT app developers to build a robust security system for your house or business to safeguard your digital assets.