The news recently came as a bombshell to cybersecurity analysts: three million connected toothbrushes were allegedly attacked by hackers, who used them to carry out other attacks in the future.
The story ultimately turned out to be false. The question of the security of connected objects, however, is very real, because these objects are often less well protected than your computer or your phone.
What are the Dangers?
It depends on the device. Prying eyes are likely to be drawn to security cameras, while a thief might be interested in a poorly secured smart lock.
In some cases, even innocuous devices have the potential to be used for purposes other than their intended purpose: a smart light bulb could be used to “spy†on information passing through your Wi-Fi network, for example, and toothbrushes could be at the heart of an attack on websites and online services.
1. Choose the Right Brands
When buying a connected device, choosing a reputable brand that can afford to invest in the security of its products is the best option for having objects that are difficult for hackers to attack.
Of course, not all devices are equally important to protect. The risks associated with a connected thermometer for cooking are undeniably low. However, a security camera or a connected lock should be purchased with caution.
2. Keep Your Devices Up to Date
Security vulnerabilities in the software and operating systems used by connected objects are constantly being discovered. Objects must therefore be periodically updated to protect against these new vulnerabilities.
These updates are even more important with devices that have access to your personal information. Generally, all devices that can access your Wi-Fi network can be updated in their settings (refer to the instruction manual for instructions).Â
3. Adopt Best Practices For Passwords
Your smart lock may be up to date and protected by the best technologies, but if your credentials have already been published in a leak, you might as well give your key to the hackers. When creating an account with your new electronic devices, it is essential to follow the basic rules for smart password management.
Among other things, you must ensure that you have a different password for each device. Otherwise, as soon as a site or service is attacked or leaked, your credentials will be known to everyone and can be reused by others.
Since it is often impossible to remember different codes for each of our accounts, installing a password manager is essential. Where possible, you should also enable two-factor authorization, where a code is sent to your phone to prevent anyone—a hacker halfway around the world, for example—who knows your password from accessing your account.Â
4. Protect Your Devices With a VPN
Are old devices at risk? A more advanced option might be to hide them behind a VPN, a type of software used to encrypt your communications and is particularly useful when accessing public Wi-Fi, in an airport or hotel, among other places.
You obviously won’t be able to install a VPN on your smart toothbrush, but some companies offer routers with built-in VPNs ( ExpressVPN’s Aircove, for example), where all devices connecting to it are automatically protected.
Connecting your connected devices to a router like this could help isolate them from the rest of your network, but it could also hide your IP address from the rest of the internet, providing an added layer of security.Â
5. Opt For Devices that are not Connected to the Internet
The best way to protect yourself from attacks from the Internet is obviously to not have any devices that can be targeted. Sometimes you don’t have a choice (good luck finding a good TV
that isn’t connected in 2024). But do you need your toothbrush to be able to access the internet? Probably not.
