Smart Appliances Security
Cybersecurity

5 Ways to Keep Smart Appliances Safe from Security Threats

You may not know it, but the electronics embedded in your smart appliances provide an easy place for cybercriminals to breach the security of your home network. Cyber thieves don’t need computers to access your most vital data, instead, they may use robot networks or botnets within your appliances. Botnet malware can attack your smart appliance and you may not even realize it. Connected appliances such as thermostats, pet feeders, refrigerators, and many others can become hosts to a botnet that can be used by hackers. Here’s how you can protect your smart appliances from this cyber threat and other types of malware.


1. Switch Up the Default Password

Quite a number of smart appliances come with default passwords straight from the manufacturers. If you don’t change these passwords on your own, you may expose these appliances to cybercriminals. Therefore, you should change all default passwords on your newly acquired smart devices before you integrate the technology into them. Make sure your new passwords are unique to every device to prevent hackers from gaining access to multiple devices.

Follow these steps to create a less breachable password:

  • Make your passwords a little longer than the usual eight characters
  • Come up with passwords that aren’t related to your kids’ names, pets, or other common combinations
  • Use a password generator to have random combinations in your new passwords
  • Take advantage of a password manager to make it easy for you to remember different passwords


2. Turn Off Unused Features

There’s a tendency for some smart tech companies to invasively record data from the end-users of their smart devices without consent. Also, similar companies ship their goods to consumers with unknown hidden features like microphones, cameras, and many others. If you plan to purchase any smart appliances, you must seriously consider their cybersecurity.

For instance, your voice assistant may not record you most of the time, but it’s likely to be triggered by phrases or words mentioned in a conversation by anyone close or related to you. Ensure that you disable less important features on your smart devices to prevent any unauthorized person from remotely accessing your data.


3. Upgrade Your Smart Appliances

Check your smart appliances and find out when you bought them. If your devices are a little bit older, rest assured that the current software updates won’t be compatible with their operating system. So, you may have to upgrade them to improve their security features.

The main purpose of upgrading your devices is to prevent security breaches. Once upgraded, your smart appliances will have new security features, and also experience fewer malfunctions than previous versions of the software that might have been less stable.


4. Limit Smart Appliance Usage

While this is almost impossible in the present-day business world, you may consider limiting your use of certain devices to enhance security and privacy. In this case, you can only use smart appliances that are necessary and discard the rest, or use them when it is very necessary.


5. Consider Using a VPN

Upgrade to a virtual private network (VPN) if you have any concerns about your smart appliances’ security. A VPN creates a reliable and secure closed system for internet connection, which may include public ones. For the sake of your smart appliances’ security, you may use a VPN to create encrypted connections to other smart devices.

Smart appliances are cool, but they have security vulnerabilities that are important to be aware of. The above-mentioned best practices can help keep your data secure and your smart appliances safe.


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5G in Agriculture
Agriculture Technology

How 5G and Smart Farming Will Transform Agriculture and the Environment

Addressing climate issues has become a priority for government, business, and society alike. One of the emerging innovations that helps accelerate solutions toward a cleaner environment is 5G. This new internet networking technology allows for faster data collection and transmission of data through electronic sensors placed strategically in a business operation ecosystem. Here are ways 5G will help agriculture, consumers, and the environment


More Efficient Ways to Manage Population Growth

According to a recent UN Food and Agriculture report, meeting global food demand for a rising population requires increasing crops harvested from farms while reducing the amount of required labor. Faster internet speeds provided by 5G, paired with machine learning software, allow for greater collection of data that can point to system inefficiencies with recommended solutions. Technological changes over the next several decades will accelerate the goal toward a more sustainable society that provides a sufficient amount of food through agriculture.


The Advent of Smart Farming

Smart farming gets its name from IoT technology, in which sensors are placed throughout a farm to measure growing conditions and crop performance. These sensors generate valuable data collection that reveals areas needing immediate attention such as wasteful production.

IoT technology allows farmers to monitor specific agricultural equipment and operational activity, along with weather and other climate conditions. Just like smart infrastructure for utilities, smart farms that run on 5G deliver a wealth of data for farmers to analyze, and this can help them adjust their farming operations in order to improve yields and crop quality.


How 5G Improves Farming

  • 5G farm machinery - In order for 5G in agriculture to help improve farming efficiency, the machinery needs to be connected with IoT sensors. However, much more computing power will be required to run this machinery. Centralized AI is also an essential element, as it can provide instant access to vast amounts of real-time data monitoring operations.
  • Drone spraying - Soon, anonymous battery-powered drone sprayers will help farmers improve cultivation of crops by using the right amount of pesticide for carefully timed durations. Drones will provide aerial photographic views of crops and help farmers identify weeds that need herbicide treatment. Another advantage to drone surveillance is it can identify crop ripeness by color.
  • Weed and crop monitoring - Now that drone cameras can detect differences between crops and weeds, farmers can spray appropriate areas rather than overuse pesticide. John Deere agricultural firm Blue River now uses 5G along with high-resolution cameras that generate 20 images per second. The technology includes AI software that identifies weeds, so it helps farmers apply weedkiller exactly where it's needed instead of blanketing a field with chemicals.
  • Real-time livestock tracking - The AI and 5G combination will be able to locate livestock in real-time through radio monitoring. Ultimately, it will reduce the current costs of livestock monitoring. This technology will also improve the food intake, health, and fertility of cows and other farm animals. Additionally, knowing the precise location of each animal is particularly helpful during calving season.
  • Reduced water consumption - Farms depend on water, but it's still important for farmers to conserve water as much as possible, especially in dry, arid, and remote areas. When Nokia set up a Worldwide IoT Network Grid (WING) to help peach farmers in Algeria improve crop yields, the trial resulted in a 40 percent drop in water consumption as it helped farmers manage irrigation cycles and soil nutrition better. The technology also probes soil conditions to check for moisture which helps ensure less wasteful water consumption


Conclusion

In the next decade, 5G will become more common in agriculture, and particularly for agriculture businesses with large output. The use of IoT-powered sensors and 5G together will provide affordable and environmentally conscious solutions for farmers to run more efficient farming operations. This combination will save energy, which will reduce costs and improve the quality of produce.


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