Safeguarding Your Smart Home from Cyber Threats

Smart Homes are Booming, and so are the Cyber Risks 

The smart home market in Canada is projected to grow to US $30.6 billion in 2030.  

Nearly 30% of Canadians installed smart devices to improve the safety and security of their homes in 2023. Ironically, these are the very devices that bring unseen intrusions to your home.  

“Our homes are getting smarter, but so are cyber criminals,” says Jack Brooks, Head of BOXX Hackbusters® and vCISO. “Every new device you plug in adds a new layer of risk, especially when it connects to your Wi-Fi, your personal data and your family’s digital routines.” 

According to Norton’s global cyber safety study, of the top three cyber threats people ever experienced in the world, 21% say malicious software was detected on their smart home or other connected devices, including computers, Wi-Fi networks, smartphones and tablets. 

It’s no wonder 72% of Canadians worry about their data privacy when using smart home devices and more than half are concerned about the security of such devices. 

“It’s not just about your personal data that can be stolen, these devices pose a physical threat. Hackers can gain access to a smart home device that’s connected to smart alarms and door locks and they could disable them to get into your home,” says Brooks. 

For affluent Canadians who invest heavily in smart security systems, this can mean more exposure to cyber criminals, not less. Statista data shows smart home device ownership is highest (36.8%) among high-income Canadians, making them more vulnerable to cyber criminals. 

How Cyber Criminals target your Smart Home, and Why Yours Could be Next 

Today’s cyber criminals are exploiting smart home vulnerabilities in increasingly creative and invasive ways.  

Security researchers at Black Hat recently showed how a simple poisoned calendar invite can manipulate Google’s Gemini AI assistant into opening a home’s smart shutters and triggering its smart appliances. Malware that cybercriminals hid in pre-installed Google apps earlier this year compromised over 10 million smart TVs and streaming boxes globally, converting them into silent botnet operators to conduct large-scale ad fraud and other digital crimes.  

In the U.S. hackers exploited smart vacuums, watching owners live through its cameras, with one device reportedly shouting racial slurs through its speaker. It’s an unsettling reminder of how easily these seemingly harmless connected devices can be turned against us in our own homes.  

Even security flaws in Apple’s AirPlay allowed hackers to breach shared home Wi-Fi networks and hijack millions of smart TVs and speakers to gain audio and visual data. 

These aren’t anomalies, they’re warnings, says Jardine. “It’s a glimpse into the future of cybercrime at home. If you have connected devices, they can be exploited. We’ve seen entire households compromised by one overlooked device.” 

So why are smart homes still so easy to compromise, even for tech-savvy users?  

The problem is trust, Jardine explains. “Because these devices live inside our homes, we treat them as safe by default. That sense of familiarity leads to complacency. Factory settings are often left unchanged, passwords are reused and critical updates are ignored. Many people assume they won’t be targeted, but cyber criminals don’t care who you are, only how easy it is to gain access to your digital life and home. We don’t leave our front doors unlocked, yet many Canadians leave their digital doors wide open.”  

Smart Home Cyber Hygiene Tips for Households 

Brooks, whose team of BOXX Hackbusters® breach response experts help families defend against cyber threats 24/7, recommends the following best practices for any smart home: 

• Change default passwords on all devices. Use long, unique ones and password managers. 
• Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for your smart home apps and portals. 
• Invest in paid endpoint protection that scans for malware, ransomware and phishing attempts in real time.  
• Use a separate Wi-Fi network for your smart devices to reduce exposure. 
• Disable unused features like voice control, remote access or camera feeds. 
• Install firmware and app updates as soon as they become available. 
• Review and limit app permissions and third-parties. “Take a regular look at what your smart home apps are looking for. If it’s requesting access to your mic, location or contacts and don’t really need it, turn it off. And think twice before connecting your devices to other apps or platforms you don’t fully trust. Every new connection adds another way in for hackers,” Brooks says. 
• Monitor your digital footprint. Smart home breaches can quickly turn into real financial losses. Set up bank alerts, monitor your credit and use tools like Equifax (included with Cyberboxx Home®) to catch digital fraud before it drains your wallet. 
• Educate your family, including children and seniors who are most vulnerable, about smart home risks like ID theft and digital fraud, as well as other cybercrimes like cyber extortion and online blackmail scams. 

“Strong passwords and smart habits go a long way, but they’re just the start,” Brooks says. “Investing in a cyber insurance policy that does more than react is your household’s best defence.” 

How All-in-One Cyber Insurance Safeguards your Smart Home from Cyber Threats 

Traditional home insurance doesn’t cover all cybercrime, nor does it offer you the tools, services and support you need to fend off today’s cyber threats. 

“It’s why we designed our personal cyber insurance solutions so families aren’t left figuring it out alone when digital threats hit home,” Jardine says. 

Every Cyberboxx Home® policy is embedded with Cyberboxx® Assist tools and resources, to combine broad coverage with all-in-one protection, 24/7 Hackbusters support and real-time monitoring to help people predict, prevent, respond to and recover from cyber threats and protect their digital lives. 

Cyberboxx Home® offers: 

• Expert-led security assessments to identify weak points in your home network. 
• Identity and dark web Hacker Chatter monitoring that alerts you if your personal information or smart device credentials are being sold or discussed by cyber criminals. 
• Comprehensive coverage that protects your family from a wide range of risks including cyber extortion, identity theft, financial fraud, ransomware, cyber bullying, legal fees and data forensics. 
• 24/7 incident response from BOXX Hackbusters® to contain cyber incidents fast.
• Access to digital safety training and tools for the whole family. 

“At BOXX, we’ve always believed that prevention is better than loss,” says Jardine. “Over 80% of the incidents we help mitigate never become claims because we stop them early.” 

Prevention is especially important for affluent households who are attractive targets for cyber criminals looking to exploit their smart homes. Nearly 30% of ultra-high net-worth families have already been targeted by cybercrime, yet few have a cyber security plan in place

“Whether you have one or many connected devices, we give clients the protection, insights, tools and backup they need to stay one step ahead,” Brooks adds. 

Cyber Resilience Starts at Home 

As Canadian families grow more digitally interconnected and invest in smart homes, cybercrime is becoming more invasive and personal.

Cyberboxx Home® offers your family more than just coverage. It offers peace of mind, expert human support when you need it most and a smarter way to stay safe in your smart home.

“Protecting your digital life at home doesn’t start with technology, it starts with awareness,” says Jardine. “The more proactive and informed you are, the harder it becomes for hackers to find a way in.”