Smart home devices promise convenience, but they come with real security and privacy trade-offs. Here are 7 things to consider before adding connected devices to your home or home office.
Smart home technology has become genuinely impressive. Voice assistants, smart locks, video doorbells, connected appliances, automated lighting — the convenience is real. But so are the security and privacy trade-offs that most buyers do not consider until after the device is on their network.
For home office workers and small business owners who use their home network for work, these considerations become even more important. A poorly secured smart device on the same network as your work laptop is not just a privacy inconvenience — it is a potential entry point into your work environment.
Here are seven things worth thinking through before you add another connected device to your home.
1. What Data Does It Collect — and Where Does It Go?
Every smart home device collects data. The question is what kind, how much, and where it ends up.
Smart speakers listen for wake words — which means they are always listening, even when you think they are not. Video doorbells and indoor cameras capture footage of your home and everyone in it. Smart TVs track viewing habits and can include built-in microphones. Even smart thermostats collect behavioural data about when you are home, when you are away, and what temperature you prefer.
Before buying, look up the device manufacturer’s privacy policy and understand where your data is stored. Is it on the device itself, on a local server in your home, or uploaded to cloud servers — potentially in a different country? What data is retained, for how long, and who has access to it?
For home office workers, be particularly cautious about devices with microphones (smart speakers, smart displays) in or near your workspace. Conversations about clients, colleagues, and business matters can be captured.
2. Will the Manufacturer Keep It Updated?
Smart devices are software-based products, which means they have vulnerabilities that get discovered over time. A device that is not receiving security updates is an increasingly risky device to have on your network.
The smart home industry has a poor track record here. Many budget-priced devices from smaller manufacturers receive security updates for 12–18 months after launch, then are abandoned. Larger brands like Google, Amazon, and Apple have better records, but even they eventually sunset older devices.
Before buying, check:
- How long does the manufacturer commit to providing security updates?
- Are updates automatic, or do they need to be manually applied?
- What is the manufacturer’s track record on previous devices?
A device that is three years old and no longer receiving updates should generally be removed from your network, not just left running because it still works.
3. Does It Need to Be on Your Main Network?
One of the most practical things you can do for your home network security is to put smart home devices on a separate network — usually a guest Wi-Fi network or a dedicated IoT VLAN if your router supports it.
This practice, called network segmentation, means that if a smart device is compromised, the attacker cannot directly reach your computers, phones, and work devices. The smart devices are isolated.
Most modern routers and mesh systems support guest networks that can be configured to keep devices from communicating with each other or with devices on the main network. If you are using your home network for work, this is not optional — it is basic hygiene.
The practical test: could you put every smart home device on your guest Wi-Fi and still have it work correctly? Most devices only need internet access, not access to your main network, so the answer is usually yes.
4. What Are the Default Security Settings?
Many smart home devices ship with poor default security settings: weak or no passwords, insecure remote access enabled by default, UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) that automatically opens ports in your firewall, and Telnet or SSH access that is on by default.
Before connecting a new device:
- Change the default password to something unique and strong
- Disable any remote access features you do not need
- Check whether the device uses UPnP and disable it if possible
- Review what ports the device is listening on
Some devices make this configuration straightforward through a setup app. Others bury settings or do not expose them at all. If you cannot access basic security settings, that is a red flag about the manufacturer’s approach to security more broadly.
5. What Happens If the Manufacturer Goes Out of Business?
This is a question that feels hypothetical until it is not. Smart home companies — especially smaller ones — go out of business, get acquired, or simply discontinue product lines. When they do, devices that depend on their cloud infrastructure stop working.
In 2023 alone, several notable smart home platforms were shut down with little warning to customers. In most cases, the devices became expensive paperweights because they required the manufacturer’s cloud to function.
Before buying:
- Does the device work locally (without internet connectivity) if the manufacturer’s servers go offline?
- Are there open-source firmware alternatives if the manufacturer closes?
- How dependent is the device on a specific app that could be discontinued?
Devices that operate entirely locally — or that support local control protocols like Matter, Zigbee, or Z-Wave — are generally more resilient. Devices that are entirely cloud-dependent are a single corporate decision away from stopping working.
6. What Are the Physical Security Implications?
Smart home devices can create physical security risks that are less obvious than the cybersecurity ones.
Smart locks are the most obvious example. If your smart lock’s cloud service has a vulnerability, or if your account is compromised, someone could unlock your front door remotely. Similarly, if you give smart lock access to a tradesperson or guest and do not revoke it promptly, that access persists indefinitely.
Video doorbells and outdoor cameras can be accessed remotely — which is the point — but this also means that footage of your property, your routines, and your family is accessible from anywhere. If your account is compromised, that access extends to an attacker.
For home office workers: smart devices can reveal information about your work schedule, client visits, and business routines that you might not want disclosed. A smart doorbell that records every visitor creates a log of everyone who attends your home office.
7. Can You Audit What It Is Doing on Your Network?
If you cannot see what a device is doing on your network, you cannot identify when it is doing something unexpected.
A properly configured home router or firewall will show you which devices are connected, how much traffic they are generating, and what destinations they are communicating with. Basic network monitoring does not require expensive equipment — many modern routers include basic traffic visibility.
If a smart device starts generating unexpected traffic at 3am, or starts communicating with servers in unusual locations, you want to know about it. Without visibility, a compromised device on your network can operate silently for months.
For home offices, the minimum viable setup is:
- A router that shows connected devices by name
- A guest network for IoT devices
- Some form of DNS-level filtering (tools like Pi-hole or router-based DNS filtering) that blocks known malicious domains
Smart home technology can add genuine value to your home and home office. But like any technology decision, the value needs to be weighed against the risks — and the risks need to be actively managed, not just accepted.
If you are using your home network for work and want advice on how to properly segment and secure your home environment, contact our team. We help home office workers and small businesses across Melbourne build home network security that does not get in the way of convenience.
