Have you ever turned the car over to make sure the oven is off or the iron is unplugged? The same anxiety instinct belies the strange possibility of lights turning on and off as we enter or leave a room.
Imagine if, instead of being an additional burden to manage, the building – and everything inside it – could become an active assistant in consumers’ hectic lives. As we realize the technical vision of the industry and grow into the age of expertise for broadband innovation, these once-imaginative concepts are no longer exotic ideas or one-of-a-kind creations of hobbyists.
Now, thanks to new advances in smart home technology and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, it’s actually possible for consumers to connect everyday appliances — ovens, irons, dishwashers, mirrors, toothbrushes… the list goes on and on — into smart home ecosystems.
Over the past few years, smart home devices have proliferated in almost every online store you might enter or visit. In some cases, finding a “non-smart” version of a device is now more difficult than it was just a few years ago, when the smart version was harder to find. Just try to find a TV that doesn’t have apps built into it.
While smart home devices are enhancing convenience and control within consumer homes, concerns about their security remain. Are these smart devices really safe? What steps can consumers take to keep their smart homes safe?
The hidden complexity of smart devices
Smart home devices are often small, and sometimes battery-powered, which makes them seem simple at first glance. In some ways, using them can be as simple as turning a light bulb on or off. However, behind this simplicity lies great complexity: connecting these devices to the network, managing software and firmware updates, handling interactions with other devices, and even overcoming the challenges of the initial physical installation.
For example, a smart garage door opener may be purchased and installed, but the frustrations of setup may prevent the customer from actually connecting it to the home network. Even though it is no longer connected to the user’s network, the device’s wireless interface may still be turned on – potentially allowing anyone within range of the radio signal to connect to it and control it.
Recent advances in device security have helped transform this landscape. This complexity has been redesigned with security built in from the ground up, allowing devices to be easily and reliably linked to the consumer’s home network.
Standardization has made smart home security easier
Many smart home device manufacturers have made aggressive efforts to standardize and simplify installation and setup activities – meaning consumers don’t need to be IT professionals to bring a smart device into their home networks. Through these consolidations, smart home devices enable security settings by default.
One of the most prominent smart home standards organizations is the Communication Standards Alliance (CSA). Matter, a specification developed within CSA, is an industry-wide initiative designed to simplify setup, interoperability, and security. A Matter-certified device must meet stringent requirements, so consumers can trust that essential protections are in place.
Network operators with us here at CableLabs have been part of these conversations within the CSA, helping to ensure that smart homes are not only functional, but secure.
Practical security with today’s smart home
Thanks to smart home specifications and standards like Matter, security for smart home devices is standard and easy to use. For example, many of the most common security recommendations are enabled by default:
Automatic updates: Over-the-air device update capabilities are required for certification. Network Segmentation: Devices are placed on a virtual network called a fabric, where only authenticated and approved devices can communicate and send commands. Authenticity: Matter’s authentication and authorization mechanisms use the same underlying PKI technologies that ensure authenticity and enable strong encryption of home network traffic when it leaves your cable modem.
Basic security settings on devices are now the standard in most cases. When paired with your carrier’s Wi-Fi access points and apps, it’s easier to monitor and maintain the ongoing security settings of these devices.
What can consumers do?
Here are some measures that can help users keep their smart home devices safe:
Control guest access to smart home devices: If guest access is needed, guest accounts must be created through the main administrator account. Pay attention to unusual behavior: Identify when the device is not operating normally. Smart home devices have much lower network bandwidth consumption. Through the network provider’s application, customers can see increases in bandwidth usage, which may indicate security issues. Consumers can then take appropriate measures to ensure security. Stop or quarantine legacy devices: If a device stops receiving automatic updates, this is standard operating procedure to replace it.
Working to make the Internet safer and more secure
Smart homes are making progress. It is now much easier to connect a smart home device to a consumer’s home network than it was years ago. CableLabs continues to work to improve the setup process for these devices and make consumers’ connection experiences safer — and more seamless.
When smart home devices are certified to comply with smart home standards, consumers can feel confident that their home devices have built-in security controls.
Here at CableLabs, working alongside our member operators in the IoT Security Working Group, we continue to develop our secure networking solutions so smart home devices can connect to smart homes securely. If you’re an employee of a CableLabs member operator and want to help shape these smarter, safer solutions, consider joining the working group (member login required).
This work is essential because we build networks that intelligently respond to user and device needs of the moment. By prioritizing connectivity that understands context and automatically adapts, CableLabs, our members and industry partners are transforming how people experience their connected environment.
To learn more about the Age of Experience and how it is redefining what connectivity means to consumers, read about our tech vision for the future of the industry.
