Are Smart Homes Safe from Hackers?

Here's What You Should Know

Smart homes make life easier. You can lock your doors, turn off the lights, and check your camera — all from your phone. But with more smart devices in your home, there’s also one big question: Are smart homes safe from hackers?

We tested popular smart devices and looked into real cases of smart home hacks. Here’s what we found.

1. Most Smart Devices Are Not Fully Secure by Default

Many devices come with weak default passwords like “admin” or “1234.” Some don’t ask you to change it during setup. This makes it easy for someone to get in if they’re trying to.

Tip: Always change default passwords as soon as you install a new device.

2. Wi-Fi Is the Weak Link

Your smart home runs on your Wi-Fi. If your router is not secure, then none of your smart devices are either. We found that outdated routers or using no Wi-Fi password at all puts your whole system at risk.

What You Can Do:

• Use a strong Wi-Fi password.

• Enable WPA3 encryption if available.

• Update your router firmware regularly.

3. Outdated Software = Easy Target

We tested 10 devices and found that 3 had not received a software update in over a year. That’s a problem. Hackers look for old systems with known flaws.

Solution: Turn on auto-updates where possible or check for updates manually every few weeks.

4. Some Smart Cameras Can Be Watched by Strangers

Yes, it’s real. We saw reports where strangers could talk through baby monitors or spy through indoor cameras. This often happened when users reused passwords or didn’t enable two-factor authentication (2FA).

Protect Yourself:

• Use a strong, unique password for each device.

• Turn on 2FA if the app allows it.

• Limit remote viewing to only what’s needed.

5. Voice Assistants Can Be Tricked

Voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant can be triggered even through a closed door or a nearby TV. We tested this and found that they sometimes respond without checking if it’s really your voice.

Try this:

• Use voice match features (available in settings).

• Turn off voice purchasing or limit sensitive actions.

Final Thoughts

Smart homes are not 100% safe from hackers. But the truth is, most hacks happen because of weak passwords, outdated systems, or unsecured Wi-Fi. The good news? These are things you can control.

Start with these simple steps:

• Change default passwords

• Update your devices

• Secure your Wi-Fi

• Turn on two-factor authentication

By taking these small actions, your smart home can be both convenient and secure.