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You can make a smart home more private without giving up the convenience of connected devices. Start with the accounts and router that protect everything else, then review what each device collects, stores, and shares. These steps reduce exposure; they cannot make an internet-connected home risk-free. NIST cybersecurity researcher Julie Haney puts it plainly: “While nothing connected to the internet is completely secure, there are steps you can take to help protect yourself while still enjoying these products.”
This guide is for a general U.S. audience. The ten habits bring together recommendations from NIST and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC); they are not a list published together by either agency. Settings and support vary by product, so check the maker’s current instructions.
1. Get household agreement before adding a device
A camera or microphone affects everyone who shares the space, not just the person who installs it. Talk through where it will go, when it will be active, who can view recordings, and whether people are comfortable with it before buying or setting it up.
NIST recommends researching a device and its maker before purchase, including recent privacy or security complaints and the protections the product lets you configure. Consider whether the device needs a camera or microphone at all, and whether its controls fit your household’s needs.
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2. Give every account a unique password
Change default passwords on devices and on the router, and do not reuse passwords from email, shopping, or other accounts. If one service is breached, a reused password can put other accounts at risk too. Use a password manager if that helps you create and keep track of distinct, strong credentials.
3. Turn on multifactor authentication where available
Enable two-factor or multifactor authentication for device and cloud accounts that offer it. It adds another verification step if someone learns your password. The option is not available on every product, so check the account’s security settings rather than assuming it is enabled.
4. Switch off features you do not use
Unused features can create unnecessary ways to access or operate a device. Turn off remote management if you do not need it, and disable voice-assistant purchasing if you do not want purchases initiated by voice. Remove devices from your network and accounts when you stop using them, following the manufacturer’s instructions for account removal or reset.
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Privacy controls matter alongside login security. Check whether a product lets you limit information sent to its maker, and how long it keeps audio, video, or other activity data. Review the controls periodically because available settings and their names differ across products.
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Smart TVs
Review the TV’s tracking and privacy settings, and remove apps you no longer use. The FTC notes that apps may collect information about viewing behavior even when you are not actively using them. App and tracking controls vary by TV and service.
Smart speakers
Look for controls covering saved voice recordings and retention, and choose the settings that match your preferences. The available controls differ by manufacturer; confirm what a setting changes before relying on it.
6. Keep firmware and companion apps current
Install device firmware and app updates, and enable automatic updates when the product supports them. Updates can address security problems; an outdated companion app can also undermine otherwise careful account habits. If an older device no longer receives security updates, NIST advises considering whether to retire or replace it.
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7. Secure the router that connects the home
Device accounts are only part of the picture: smart-home devices depend on the home network. The FTC identifies the router as central to connected-device privacy because devices connect through it. Change its default administrator credentials and network name, install available router updates, and use WPA3 or WPA2 Wi-Fi encryption.
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If an older router cannot support WPA2 or WPA3, the FTC suggests considering replacement. That is a conditional reason to consider a WPA3 Wi-Fi router, not a reason every household needs a new one. NIST’s router guidance likewise addresses the router’s role in IoT connectivity.
8. Separate smart devices from sensitive computers when practical
Consider putting smart-home devices on a guest or separate network, especially cameras, so that being connected to one network does not automatically give a device access to devices on another. Whether this is possible—and how to configure it—depends on the router. Network separation can reduce exposure, but it does not make devices invulnerable.
9. Limit and review camera access
Use unique camera-account credentials and enable multifactor authentication on its cloud account if offered. Check whether the camera and service encrypt account details and video feeds, and keep the camera and its apps updated. Where access logs are available, review them for unfamiliar addresses or unusual access times.
These checks can help you spot access you do not recognize, but a log is not a guarantee that every unauthorized attempt will be visible. Camera security depends on the camera, account, network, and service—not a single setting.
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10. Be deliberate about camera placement and remote viewing
Think carefully before putting a remotely viewable camera in a particularly private room. If you do not need to view a camera remotely, disable remote viewing where the product allows it. Share a feed only with people who need access, and use separate user permissions if supported rather than sharing one account login.
Before choosing a camera, check whether it offers encryption, ongoing updates, a way to disable remote viewing, and user or time-based sharing permissions. These are practical criteria, not a guarantee of security or a ranking of products.
Why these habits matter
Smart-home adoption is widespread, but the numbers should be read with their source and date in mind: Parks Associates estimated that 45% of U.S. households with internet had at least one smart-home device in 2024, and 18% had six or more. NIST relayed those estimates in Special Publication 1343, published in December 2025.
The recurring work is straightforward: protect the accounts and router, apply updates, disable functions you do not need, and check privacy and sharing settings on the devices that collect sensitive information. No single step addresses every exposure, and the right settings depend on the products in your home.
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