As our homes in towns and cities become increasingly connected to one another, through the development of the ‘Internet of Things’ and the growing eco-friendly concept of the ‘Smart Home’, our vulnerability to the outsider also increases.
Not only do we have to be vigilant in securing our home’s literal perimeter, but also from threats that can come from tech-driven ways.
Take a look at the following short guide, showing you some of the ways that you can secure the modern home by using both online methods and physical smart technology.
Protecting your home
With the vast number of smart devices available today, there are a ton of different options available to you in terms of smart-home security.
Gone are the days of having to manually set up elaborate safety precautions, as the devices that connect to the internet in the home are incredibly simple to set up and maintain in comparison to their older counterparts.
Here are some efficient examples that could give you additional peace-of-mind on security in the home:
- Security Cameras – CCTV cameras and surveillance have been around for a while at this point, but it’s now incredibly simple for the layman to get them set up, and new features make them much more useful. With smart cameras such as the Nest and Hive offerings, devices pair up seamlessly to your Wi-Fi and are controllable directly through an app on your smartphone. Not only does this mean that you don’t have to trawl through old tapes or discs to find footage should you need it, but you can even set them to only record when detecting motion. Some of the more expensive models can even detect people using facial recognition, differentiating the unwanted visitor from those who live there.
- Smart Doorbell – Another video-centric example, weatherproof and smart doorbells might seem like a bit of an excessive purchase, but they can allow you to stay in touch with your home while not even there. Again, controllable through a smartphone, they will enable you to see who is coming up to your door at any given time, and communicate with postal delivery drivers or visitors if not in.
Keeping in with the trend of the connected home, both of the above examples can also be paired up with popular home appliances such as smart speakers and televisions. Being in control of your home that bit more can really help to increase efficiency.
Protecting your home’s online presence
Internet connectivity is of paramount importance to students living at university, as they handle the majority of their sensitive information/coursework through online portals.
In the growing ‘Internet of Things’, where our devices are increasingly connected to each other, this can come with risks if wanting to keep work as private and secure as possible.
If living in a similar situation, in a connected apartment building, for example, make sure your connection is secured, password-protected, and accessible only by the relevant people.
Property investment companies such as RW Invest, in their modern student accommodation properties, understand the need for competent, secure internet connectivity among tenants in the modern day, and make it a guaranteed amenity.
Another thing that you need to take into consideration is the number of interconnected devices that you have in the home, and how they link up to the internet and share your data.
The conspiracy theorists among us often speak about how our smart devices and mobile phones are always recording our voices, and watching us in a Big Brother-esque, Orwellian manner, and while they aren’t necessarily wrong, there are security measures in place to ensure that your data is as secure with these devices as it can be.
That being said, it is still important, particularly if living in shared accommodation, to do what you can.
Make sure that not anyone can connect to your devices, and set passwords on everything you can. Menial steps, but important ones.
