- Written by
- Remaleh Cyber Safety Team
- Reviewed by
- Remaleh Cyber Safety Team Practical Cyber Safety guidance and response
- Last reviewed
Complete smart device protection does not come from buying one product. It comes from setting up every connected device with safer access, updates, privacy, and recovery in mind.
A smart device can be useful and still cause problems. It can keep a default password. It can allow remote access nobody needs. It can run old software. It can share more data than expected. It can stay online long after your household stops using it.
New rules now ban default passwords on consumer smart devices in the UK, with the EU and others following. That helps with new products. Anything older than 2024 was probably shipped with a generic password. Check yours before you trust it.
The smart device setup choices that matter
- Change default passwords. Use a strong, unique password or passphrase.
- Turn on two-step verification if the device account offers it.
- Switch on automatic updates. If that is not available, check for updates yourself.
- Review app permissions: location, cloud storage, microphone, and camera access.
- Switch off remote access if your household does not need it.
Your home network matters too. The router admin account. The Wi-Fi password. The guest network. Old devices. Any forgotten gadget still connected. Any one of these can let a problem spread from one device to another.
Smart device protection is a routine, not a one-time purchase.
- Remaleh Cyber Safety guidance
Do not skip the end of a device's life
When you sell, give away, replace, or throw out a smart device, remove it from the app first. Revoke shared users. Then factory reset it using the maker's instructions.
If a camera, doorbell, speaker, router, or smart home hub starts acting strangely, do not guess. Check who has access. Check what changed recently. Check whether updates are pending. Then decide whether a reset or account review is needed.
The setup is not finished when the device turns on
For each new device, write down who owns the account, what app controls it, how updates happen, who has remote access, and how the device will be removed later. This matters for cameras, doorbells, locks, routers, alarms, voice assistants, and second-hand gear.
Source: ETSI , Australian Cyber Security Centre
- Change any default password or account setup that came with the device.
- Turn on updates and check how long the manufacturer supports the product.
- Limit app permissions and extra users to people who need access.
- Keep devices off the main network when they do not need trusted access.
- Remove the device from accounts before selling, giving away, or throwing it out.
