IT Consultant Toronto: Keep Your Smart Home and Office Safe from Hackers

As humans move through the 21st century, the emergence of new technology that aims to make lives easier has become the norm. Among the most popular are smart homes and offices. These are houses that follow voice commands and adjust themselves to the owner’s preference.  It is the kind of technology that was just a figment of imagination in the 60’s through the 80’s especially for the tech savvy like IT consultant Toronto, but has now become a reality.

What was not predicted however, are the dangers that lurk behind these innovations. The seemingly innocent pieces of appliance in your own home, may be the one leaking your information to these cyber criminals. This is why 75 percent of people are suspicious and very cautious in sharing their information. Ironically, however, the eagerness to use smart home technology still continues to rise, despite the warnings.

In the midst of taking advantage of what smart home devices offer, users must not forgo safety and security. It is imperative that consumers continue to become aware of the cyber security threats associated with its use. The first step is knowing what to check to find any possible breach in your home system.  

IT Consultant Toronto: Keep Your Smart Home and Office Safe from Hackers

What to watch out for? IT Consultant Toronto Gives A List

Below are some key indicators that you, your household and smart office may be at risk or are having data breach. 

Acting Unusual

When your devices are not working as they should be, or it is working but quite differently than how they used to be the first sign to flag. Usually, devices do as program and therefore would show the same performance. If there is any deviation to the usual operation, then it is time to investigate it closely rather than just brushing it off. Changes such as flickering lights, changes in setting or unpredictable behaviors might be because of manipulation by hackers. Catching this early on prevents further and bigger damages from occurring

Increased Traffic in Network

Checking your home or office network is a necessity when it comes to cyber security. Any increase in data usage, especially when there is nothing new in everyone’s activity is a red flag. If the pattern of increase does not coincide with time of operation or heavy usage, then chances are, there is an unauthorized user. Threat actors can sneakily get into your system. By checking your network regularly and seeing closely any network activity, you can track them down and block them. Thereby preventing leakage of your personal information and decreasing security risk

Unfamiliar Sounds or Voices

One of the most common features of smart devices is that they can be controlled by voice. There are also devices with speakers so it can communicate with the user. However, when your smart devices let out strange noises and even voices that are not familiar to you, then it is time to recheck your systems. Cyber criminals can use these devices to listen into the household to gather data. Our day-to-day activities and conversation unknowingly provide them with more information than we think. Aside from possibly catching our bank account or credit card details while talking on the phone, data such as demographics and risks can be pick-up by simply listening in. Variations in voice commands can show how many people live in the house, their gender and possible ages. This information can be used in a lot of ways by hackers.

Changes in Device Settings

Upon installation of smart devices, it would be wise for users to check the settings. Aside from being able to customize it to your preferred functions, you can also check if there are vulnerabilities you can close or decrease. Similarly, knowing the settings of smart devices would allow you to have comparative data in the future. Following a regular check-up on your devices, you would notice if there have been unauthorized changes applied to the settings. Minor and seemingly innocent changes like camera angle and focus, sound options, sensor sensitivity, added file folders should raise concerns

Unauthorized Data Transfers

And speaking of added file folders mentioned above, data storage should be investigated closely. Collected information such as audio and video recordings must go only to your authorized cloud server, device or network. Any added folder or location that these files are stored or sent to should be disabled and, if possible, blocked. Hackers, deploying their botnets, can see any possible vulnerabilities and will exploit them given the chance. Files transfer and cloud servers are the usual easy access they worm their way into. Hence, a regular check on the usage pattern for your devices is a must.

IT Consultant Toronto: Keep Your Smart Home and Office Safe from Hackers 2

Getting Locked Out of Your Own Device/s

There is no bigger red flag in cyber security than being made unable to access your own smart devices. It is one of the most common and blatant signs of hacking. Cyber criminals would be able to change your device passwords and enable their own multi-factor authentication. Thereby locking you out of your own devices whether for function or management. As soon as you experience this, quickly take steps to regain control and block unauthorized access. The longer they have access to your device, the more data they can steal. Similarly, there will be more damage they can inflict on you, your family or business

Additional Devices on Your Network

The list of devices connected to your network must always be checked. Make sure there are no unauthorized devices there. You may also check for hidden files and folders that may be masking these unfamiliar devices. Anything that is not your device should be considered a danger and must be deleted and blocked. This is a clear sign of network breach. Ensure your network is protected by strong passwords and MFA. The more layers of protection you have, the better. 

Glitches Happening Too Often

Software glitches can happen. This is normal in any device, smart or not. However, if it happens too often, it should be worth looking into. This usually happens in relation to software updates. Normal updates aim to improve security and patch up vulnerabilities. However, if your device does not update or glitches whenever it happens, it usually means the work of a hacker. Make the necessary changes as soon as you can! 

Email Notifications of Changes That You Did Not Initiate

Most devices send notifications to your phone or email about any changes made to its system. Take time to read through these notifications and do not easily dismiss them. Ensure that all the action reports are done or authorized by you. Otherwise, someone might be trying to get into your system. These notifications are meant to provide an added layer of protection against threat actors, make sure to use them. Any unauthorized access must be blocked, and password changes may be needed to keep hackers away from your home and/or office devices. 

Have your smart devices checked and secured by an IT Consultant Toronto

Get your trusted IT professionals into the loop when installing devices for your home or business. Make sure to consult on the best layers of protection to keep cyber criminals away from your home and office. Make a checklist of what needs to be checked regularly and follow-through the schedule. Should there be any suspicion that your devices are compromised, get them to help out with disaster management. 

Keep in mind that smart home and office devices are designed to make lives easier, but they do need a little love and protection too! Having a smart home and office requires a wise user. Be steps ahead of hackers!

Get in touch with us today and let us discuss your cyber security needs.

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