Can my smart system be hacked?

When we picture a hacker, the stereotype that comes to mind is a computer nerd in a hoodie staring intently at a computer in a dark room. There might be some neon coloured LED strips behind them if they’re lucky. 

The idea of ‘hacking the mainframe’ has become a bit of a meme based on this stereotype. But this has more to do with cinematics than reality.

The dictionary definition of hacking is ‘the gaining of unauthorised access to data in a system or computer’. That hacking - that’s perceived as complicated coding, beeps and buzzes, and intense concentration - usually has more to do with guessing a weak password than theatrics. Sorry to taint the glamour of it all. 

For that reason, I can’t stress the importance of password hygiene enough. How you choose and manage your passwords can essentially eliminate the risk of your smart system being ‘hacked’ or leave your home more susceptible to unauthorised accessing. 

Here are some bad and better practices to acknowledge when you’re creating and managing passwords. These tips will apply in all areas of your life, not just in the protection of your home.

Bad

Bad password examples include the names of your children, anything to do with your date of birth, easily guessed number sequences like 1234, or repeated passwords you’ve used for other accounts. 

Better

Strong passwords contain a random combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. They’re different for each platform, and require a bit of thought (or muscle memory) to input. Random sentences like ‘iwentandgoticecreamfromtheshop’ work too. Sentence-based passwords are also much easier to type quickly.

Bad

Bad password management is writing all your passwords down in a notebook or a notes app on your phone. It’s even worse when these are unsecured. 

Better

Good password management is using a third party or built in password management tool to store your passwords in behind one password. iPhones have this built in with ‘Passwords’ and use face ID or fingerprint authentication as the security layer. At Epitome Living, we use 1Password, which has apps and browser plugins. These management tools often have the function of suggesting strong passwords for new accounts. 

Security and your smart system

One of the great things about wiring a smart system into your building rather than relying on cloud-based products is the additional layer of security the process offers.

Your data lives in the brain of your home, so if your home is physically secure and your passwords are strong, then your data is secure too.

The reason there are more instances of ‘hacking’ when it comes to cloud-based smart systems like Ring doorbells is down to the reward on offer. On a cloud server, there’s mass data available, compared to the single dataset available when you target one house. 

Targeting one house is more akin to a traditional, opportunistic thief who sees a window open and gains access to a property. It would take quite a lot of effort for a ‘hacker’ to gain access to the data stored inside your home, and so it’s less likely to be worth their while. 

When it comes to elements of your smart system like alarms and settings that relate to making changes to how your house functions, changes to the system we use can only be made after a second layer of security called a ‘user interface password’ or face ID is input.

Your smart system is unlikely to be hacked. But in a world where that possibility is a concern, and so much of what’s done with our data through the technology we use is outside of our control, wiring your smart system in and bringing your data inside your home mitigates the risk. 

But could someone gain access to your smart system - wired or wireless - by guessing your password? Only if the correct measures haven’t been taken to reduce the risk.

Ask us more about how the data of your smart home is stored at info@epitomeliving.com.