When it comes to homemade home And Smart Homerefers to a house equipped with appliances and devices interconnected with each other and controllable remotely via smartphone, vocal assistants or digital panels. From lights to locks, passing through household appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines, today many everyday objects are able to communicate with us and other devices through Internet. This new technological ecosystem has radically transformed the way we interact with our home: it offers efficiency, comfort, energy saving and a level of automation first unthinkable. In the face of these advantages, however, there are also some critical issues linked above all to the computer security and to the Personal data protection. When entering the home network devices that collect and transmit information, it is inevitable to question who can access those data and for what purposes.
Although the current scenario offers many solutions designed for protect users’ privacyit is essential to have a certain awareness of the potential risks due to IT attacks and the precautions to be adopted.
The advantages of a smart home
Many of you probably already use at least one smart device inside your home: a speaker with voice assistant, a surveillance camera connected to Wi-Fi or a thermostat that automatically adjusts the temperature according to your habits. These tools are designed for simplify everyday life: allow you to manage domestic functions with your voice or remotely, without having to get up from the sofa or be physically present at home. The goal is theefficiency: optimize times and resources, but also energy consumption.
Precisely in this perspective, home automation can help save energy, money And time. Let’s take the case of smart thermostats: They can be programmed to lower the temperature when the house is empty and increase it before your return, avoiding waste and keeping the level of comfort intact. The same goes for bulbs And smart outletswhich can be turned off automatically or regular according to environmental light, your position and at the time of the day. These solutions not only reduce the economic weight of the billsbut also contribute to one more sustainable management of resources (and our beloved earth thanks).
Another aspect not to be overlooked is the factor comfort. Have the possibility to lock the entrance door or lower the shutters with a simple voice command represents a qualitative leap in terms of accessibilityespecially for those with motor difficulties, and to safety. From a real estate point of view, the adoption of smart technologies can even increase the value of a homemaking it more attractive for potential buyers. In some cases, some insurance companies offer discounts on policies to those who install intelligent security systems, such as connected alarms and movement sensors.
The disadvantages of a smart home
Let’s pass, now, to the potentials Negative aspects of the Smart Home. Each device that connects to the Internet is, by its nature, a potential access point for unauthorized subjects. This does not mean that intelligent houses are intrinsically insecure, but that the adoption of home automation involves New IT risks. Unlike a “traditional” appliance, one Smart device collects and transmits data, such as Hours of use, preferences or Information on your presence at home. These data can be used by a computer criminal for their shady purposes or by the manufacturers of home automation devices themselves (especially those that sell them at very low prices), which could adopt somewhat borderline policies.
Another problem concerns the fragmentation of systems: many companies produce devices that work only with their own platforms, making it Difficult integration between different brands. This can translate into a less fluid experience for the user and, reflected, even in a greater one vulnerability: more different components are, the more complex it becomes to keep the entire home automation system updated and safe.
Another critical element is the dependence on Internet connection. Without a stable network, many devices become inaccessible or unusable, questioning their efficiency in times of need. Also, one Non-protected Wi-Fi network with weak password It can be an easy target for attacker, which may be able to infiltrate your devices and access sensitive data or even check critical functions of the house.
To minimize risks, it is essential to adopt good safety practices: use complex passwords and unique for each device, keep the Firmware always updated (it would be the software that controls the basic functioning of the various Smart appliances) and, if possible, separate The main home network from that intended for connected objects. Last but not least, before buying a home automation device it is always very important to inquire about data type that this will collect and, above all, a how these data will be processed by the manufacturer. If you have doubts, it is better to guide you on the purchase of something safer, perhaps by relying on more renowned and reliable brands, rather than semi-unknown producers.
