03-07-2022, 07:36 AM
When you're not home, nagging little doubts can start to crowd your mind. Did I turn the coffee maker off? Did I set the security alarm? Are the kids doing their homework or watching television?
With a smart home, you could quiet all of these worries with a quick glance at your smartphone or tablet. You could connect the devices and appliances in your home so they can communicate with each other and with you.
The Internet of Things is a phrase that refers to the objects and products that are interconnected and identifiable through digital networks. This web-like sprawl of products is getting bigger and better every day. All of the electronics in your home are fair game for this tech revolution, from your fridge to your furnace.
On the next page, we'll take a look at the technology in a smart home.
Smart home hub security
Because smart home devices connect to the internet and communicate wirelessly, they are inherently at risk of attack. There have been several notable smart home hub security events in recent history, including:
In July 2019, researchers at BlackMarble found an issue with Zipato’s ZipaMicro smart hubs where a combination of three security flaws could be exploited to open a smart lock connected to the hub.
In May 2018, researchers from Pen Test Partners found a five-year-old software flaw in the Z-Wave protocol, dubbed Z-Shave, affecting an estimated 100 million chips in smart home devices sold by more than 2,400 vendors. If attacked, hackers could potentially intercept smart lock keys and unlock home doors.
You’re probably familiar with those regular old light switches that you fumble for in the dark, but maybe you’re unclear on what a smart switch is. Good news: you’ve come to the right place.
A smart switch is still a light switch, but with advanced features that help automate your home. They resemble traditional switches and plug into the same spaces that traditional outlets are found, except:
They have radio wave capabilities that allow the switches to connect to a nearby wireless network and become part of the Internet of Things. This makes the devices “smart” and gives them an array of capabilities, including app or voice control.
Sensors: Not all smart switches have sensors, but many do. The two most common are the motion sensor, which can detect movement and turn on lights automatically (common in office buildings for energy savings), and the touch sensor that’s used as a modern way of turning the light on and controlling the dimmer.
Integration with more advanced setups: Connect your smart switch to a whole ecosystem of smart devices, and you will quickly find that it can interact in a number of useful ways. You can create “scenes” with your lights that include automatic operation of multiple smart devices at one time. For example, you can connect your lights via the switch to a distant motion sensor, and have the lights turn on when motion is detected. Little scenes like these can change the way that you use your lights.
What is a Motion Sensor?
With a smart home, you could quiet all of these worries with a quick glance at your smartphone or tablet. You could connect the devices and appliances in your home so they can communicate with each other and with you.
The Internet of Things is a phrase that refers to the objects and products that are interconnected and identifiable through digital networks. This web-like sprawl of products is getting bigger and better every day. All of the electronics in your home are fair game for this tech revolution, from your fridge to your furnace.
On the next page, we'll take a look at the technology in a smart home.
Smart home hub security
Because smart home devices connect to the internet and communicate wirelessly, they are inherently at risk of attack. There have been several notable smart home hub security events in recent history, including:
In July 2019, researchers at BlackMarble found an issue with Zipato’s ZipaMicro smart hubs where a combination of three security flaws could be exploited to open a smart lock connected to the hub.
In May 2018, researchers from Pen Test Partners found a five-year-old software flaw in the Z-Wave protocol, dubbed Z-Shave, affecting an estimated 100 million chips in smart home devices sold by more than 2,400 vendors. If attacked, hackers could potentially intercept smart lock keys and unlock home doors.
You’re probably familiar with those regular old light switches that you fumble for in the dark, but maybe you’re unclear on what a smart switch is. Good news: you’ve come to the right place.
A smart switch is still a light switch, but with advanced features that help automate your home. They resemble traditional switches and plug into the same spaces that traditional outlets are found, except:
They have radio wave capabilities that allow the switches to connect to a nearby wireless network and become part of the Internet of Things. This makes the devices “smart” and gives them an array of capabilities, including app or voice control.
Sensors: Not all smart switches have sensors, but many do. The two most common are the motion sensor, which can detect movement and turn on lights automatically (common in office buildings for energy savings), and the touch sensor that’s used as a modern way of turning the light on and controlling the dimmer.
Integration with more advanced setups: Connect your smart switch to a whole ecosystem of smart devices, and you will quickly find that it can interact in a number of useful ways. You can create “scenes” with your lights that include automatic operation of multiple smart devices at one time. For example, you can connect your lights via the switch to a distant motion sensor, and have the lights turn on when motion is detected. Little scenes like these can change the way that you use your lights.
What is a Motion Sensor?