Last article, I talked about the importance of securing your router. Well, truth be told, any smart tech device in your house can be used as a doorway to steal information.  That smart doorbell you bought to feel safer, the Wi-Fi thermostat you purchased to cut energy costs, even the voice assistant, baby monitor, or robot vacuum you bought that quietly maps your entire home all can be potential entry points for cybercriminals. So here’s the uncomfortable truth: convenience comes at a real cost if you are not mindful of the potential security risks to your information.

In a SentinelOne Cybersecurity Trends report completed this year, security researchers disclosed more than 30,000 vulnerabilities across connected technologies in 2025 alone, representing a 17 percent increase over the previous year. Unlike your phone or laptop, most of these smart home gadgets don’t send you security alerts or nudge you to update a weak password. They just sit there on your network, around the clock, waiting.

The “Set It and Forget It” Problem

This is because most smart devices are designed for convenience, not security. They ship from the factory with default usernames and passwords, often using something as simple as “admin” and “password.” Manufacturers expect users to change them, but most people either don’t know to do that or just simply forget.

Automated scanning tools constantly probe the internet looking for exactly these kinds of open doors. A vulnerable smart TV or cheap Wi-Fi camera can give an attacker a foothold into your home network and allow them to quietly use that access to monitor your activity, access other devices, or recruit your gadgets into large-scale cyberattacks without you ever knowing.

What Hackers Are Really After

It’s tempting to think, “What would anyone want with my smart refrigerator?” But attackers are less interested in your appliances than in what those appliances can reach.

Once inside your home network, a bad actor can potentially access stored passwords, financial accounts, and home security cameras. Compromised home devices have been used in “botnet” attacks that become hijacked armies of gadgets directed at banks and hospitals with you as the device owner completely unaware. Smart speakers can be exploited to eavesdrop on conversations. Baby monitors and cameras have been known to be hacked to spy on families.

In 2025, according to the 2026 IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index, North America was the most targeted region globally in terms of attacks. We accounted for 29 percent of all cybersecurity incident response cases, which represents a 24 percent increase from the year before. That means your smart home could be part of that landscape without you realizing it.

Now I don’t want to unnecessarily alarm you, so in my next article, I will go into depth about what you can do and/or the steps you can take to minimize your potential attack surface. In the meantime, here are five things you can do right now:

• Change default passwords immediately. When you set up any new device, the very first thing you should do is change the default username and password to something unique and strong. Use a password manager if you have trouble keeping track.

• Keep firmware updated. Most smart devices have an app or settings menu where you can check for firmware updates. Make it a habit to check every few months — or enable automatic updates wherever possible. Manufacturers regularly patch discovered vulnerabilities, but only updated devices are protected.

• Create a separate "guest" network for your smart devices. Most modern routers let you set up a secondary Wi-Fi network. Put all your smart home gadgets on that network and keep your computers, phones, and tablets on your main network. That way, even if a device is compromised, the attacker can't easily reach your sensitive data.

• Know what you have. Make a simple list of every connected device in your home. Old devices that no longer receive security updates should be replaced or disconnected. If a manufacturer has stopped supporting a product, it's only a matter of time before an unpatched vulnerability is discovered.

• Disable features you don't use. Many devices come with remote access, voice activation, and data-sharing features turned on by default. If you don't use them, turn them off. Fewer active features mean fewer potential attack surfaces.

Karen Clay, Clay Technology and Multimedia
Courtesy, Karen Clay