How To Secure Your Home With The Help Of Technology

Your home is your sanctuary, so it needs to be safe and secure. As savvy women, we can use technology to tighten up security and protect our homes from intruders.

The cybersecurity experts at ESET share their tips for keeping your home safe and secure.

How to protect your digital space and gadgets

Create complex passwords
Cyberthieves count on people having the same password across multiple sites. Stay safe by using unique passwords for everything. If you do it right, though, remembering all those passwords could be difficult – which is where a password manager like LastPass comes in handy.

Activate two-factor authentication
This makes it harder for anyone but you to access your information. When you enable two-factor authentication, the site you're trying to log in to will send a confirmation code to your smartphone.

Secure your Wi-Fi network
An open Wi-Fi network is the equivalent of leaving your front door open. Here's how to secure it:

● Give your network an obscure name (or SSID) that doesn't reveal any personal information.
● Use a strong passcode, and switch it every few months.
● Disable your guest network - Or, set up two networks: one for computers and smartphones, and another for your smart devices.
● Change the security settings - To encrypt your information, choose WPA2 Personal for your network.
● If your router has a built-in firewall, enable it - Firewalls filter the traffic entering and exiting your network, and can shut down hackers' attempts to gain access.

Install antivirus software
Invest in antivirus, anti-spyware and anti-phishing software that blocks websites that skim passwords and banking details, and hackers from stealing your data.

Update to the latest firmware
Manufacturers are always releasing patches to fix security flaws. If you ignore the firmware updates, you're giving hackers more time to do their dirty work.

How to use smart technology to improve your home security

Biometric technology
The new iPhone Xs are equipped with FaceID, so you can open your phone just by looking at it. That's biometric tech – and there are clever ways to use it in your home.

● Facial recognition technology - Fit out your front door with this technology so you can quickly unlock your property and keep others out.
● Fingerprint door locks - No two fingerprints are the same, so this ensures only the people who have permission to enter your home can do so.

Smart alarms
Burglar alarms rely on motion detection, and some use artificial intelligence to identify intruders. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms alert you to smoke or fire in the home, and the next-gen ones even text you a warning.

Smart doorbells
When someone presses your doorbell, a notification will pop up on your smartphone or tablet. You'll be able to speak to the person, even if you're on the other side of the world.

Smart security surveillance
Smart security systems are hooked up to your smartphone or tablet, so you can check in on your home anywhere, any time.
Top tip: The Internet of Things (such as smart homes) are all about "connected convenience" - but this should not come at the expense of your privacy. Whenever you invest in a new device, be sure to take the time to secure it, too.

Start securing your home and devices now
Let's take action! To find out more about using technology to keep your devices and home safe, check out ESET's security software. Follow the steps in this article, and you'll be able to rest easy knowing that you've made the most of all the tech available to you.