IS A SMART AND SECURE HOME A MORE VULNERABLE ONE? The internet provides a treasure trove of information, held behind relatively weak security, for cyber criminals to take advantage of. The majority of individuals whose identities and financial information are for sale on the dark web have no idea that their security has even been breached. When we buy smart devices for the home, how many of us change the default or set a separate password for any administrator functions? Even if we do amend the default passwords, we often use the same ones as those used for more sensitive accounts, such as email or banks. By hacking through security simply designed to protect the information on the contents in your fridge, criminals can gain access to your finances. One particularly sensitive area is home security. Wireless burglar alarms and CCTV cameras installed in many homes are linked to a network. There are search engines enabling you to search for alarms connected to the internet. Motion sensors can then be disabled and alarms switched off. Those still using “admin” as the user name and password provide even easier access, but there are usually sufficient examples of any one system to make breaking the user name and password conventions relatively straightforward. In addition to alarms, CCTV cameras mounted inside peoples’ homes as part of security systems can make those homes far more insecure. As well as providing a view of the interior to facilitate burglars, they also provide unparalleled opportunities for cybercrime and ransomware demands. Clients have had ransomware demands for the return of CCTV footage taken of their homes, including a camera with a view into the bathroom. What is worse than the demand, however, is the knowledge that someone else has had control of viewing your private spaces.
Tell-tale signs Whilst the hacking of baby monitors may result in a strange voice coming from the monitor, the signs of CCTV camera hacking are more subtle. You may notice the camera moving to follow you around the room or a red light blinking on the camera when the alarm is not activated. You may also be able to see that the times and dates of data transferred from the camera do not correspond with times and dates when the alarm was monitoring any movement.
How to keep your home secure? Emma Banister Dean, our cyber security expert, suggests these very simple precautions: • Always change the user name and password from the default options. • Diarise updating passwords on a regular basis • Do not use the same user name and password as those. used for other apps or devices, particularly not email or bank accounts. • Do not use public WiFi to access your security accounts. • Monitor the dates and times of activity for unusual patterns.
Keep your information safe and secure Royds Withy King have created Life Safe® a legacy management portal where you can store all your legal documents and manage your wealth securely. You can store Wills, investment portfolios, details of chattels, digital assets and passwords. Our dual PIN system ensures that your files whether business, personal or legal - won’t be compromised.
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