Home Network & Appliance Security: Best Practices

TL;DR

Keeping your smart home secure requires a bit of effort. This guide covers practical steps to improve the security of both your network and individual appliances, using established benchmarks and resources.

Improving Your Home Network Security

1. Change Default Router Credentials: This is the most important step. Manufacturers often use easy-to-guess defaults.
   • Find your router’s IP address (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1). You can find this by opening a command prompt/terminal and typing

     ipconfig

     on Windows, or

     ifconfig

     on macOS/Linux.

   • Log in to your router’s admin interface (usually via a web browser).
   • Change the username and password. Use a strong, unique password!
2. Enable WPA3 Encryption: If your router and devices support it, use WPA3 for Wi-Fi security. It’s much stronger than older standards like WPA2.
   • Check your router settings for ‘Security Mode’ or similar.
   • Select WPA3 if available. If not, use WPA2 with AES encryption.
3. Keep Router Firmware Updated: Updates often include critical security patches.
   • Most routers have an automatic update feature – enable it!
   • Check the manufacturer’s website for updates if automatic updates aren’t available.
4. Enable Firewall Protection: Your router has a built-in firewall; make sure it’s enabled.
   • This is usually on by default, but double-check in your router settings.
5. Disable WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup): WPS is often vulnerable to attacks.
   • Find the WPS setting in your router admin interface and disable it.
6. Use a Guest Network: For visitors, create a separate guest network with limited access to your main network.
   • This prevents guests from accessing sensitive devices on your primary Wi-Fi.

Securing Individual Appliances

1. Change Default Passwords: Just like with routers, change the default passwords on all smart appliances (smart TVs, thermostats, cameras, etc.).
2. Keep Appliance Firmware Updated: Manufacturers release updates to fix security flaws.
   • Check the appliance’s settings menu for update options.
   • Some appliances update automatically; verify this is enabled.
3. Review Privacy Settings: Understand what data your appliances are collecting and sharing.
   • Adjust privacy settings to minimise data collection where possible.
4. Disable Unnecessary Features: Turn off features you don’t use (e.g., remote access if you don’t need it).
5. Network Segmentation (Advanced): Consider using a separate VLAN or network for your IoT devices.
   • This isolates them from your main network, limiting the impact of a potential breach. Requires more technical knowledge and a router that supports VLANs.

Useful Resources & Benchmarks

• NIST Cybersecurity Framework: While aimed at businesses, it provides good general security principles applicable to home networks: https://www.nist.gov/cyberframework
• OWASP IoT Security Guidance: Focuses specifically on the security of Internet of Things devices: https://owasp.org/IoT-Security-Guidance/
• Consumer Reports Smart Home Security Guide: Practical advice for consumers: https://www.consumerreports.org/smart-home/smart-home-security/
• Shodan Search: You can use Shodan (https://www.shodan.io/) to see if any of your devices are publicly accessible (be careful, this requires some technical understanding).