While all of these devices may enhance home life, they have also raised concerns about how complete strangers can use them to gain access to our home networks. Last year, a researcher raised the alarm about a serious vulnerability in an encryption protocol used in most home-based routers to encrypt local Wi-Fi traffic. Although this so-called KRACK vulnerability was eventually resolved, it highlighted the need for homeowners to be vigilant. “I wouldn’t say don’t get these devices because of that, but it’s definitely something to be wary about,” says Zach Gerbrandt, a
ALTHOUGH THIS SO-CALLED KRACK VULNERABILITY WAS EVENTUALLY RESOLVED, IT HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED FOR HOMEOWNERS TO BE VIGILANT.
residential design consultant with The Accurate Technology Group.
He says one of the easiest things a homeowner can do to protect themselves from hackers is to closely check a manufacturer’s terms and conditions before registering their device. It doesn’t have to be an all-or- nothing proposition when signing off. “You can pick and choose what you want to give it access to. You can go in and choose what it can and can’t look at,” he says, adding it’s a good idea to set different passwords for different devices. Gerbrandt also cautions homeowners to do a bit of research on the manufacturer prior to making a purchase. While most consumer-grade products meet relatively high standards and are easy to install, they may not have equal levels of encryption or security protocols. And even though many products can communicate with each other, there are some inherent risks in having them doing so. Cont’d on page 142
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Parade of Homes fall 2018 141
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