The largest asset security conference in Asia teaches you how to protect your personal assets

        The annual Taiwan Asset Security Conference, held from May 14th to 16th, was in full swing, attracting nearly 20000 people from both domestic and international sources. It not only set a record for the highest level of participation in the conference's ten-year history, but also attracted high attention and anticipation from the industry. This year's theme is "Generative Future". In addition to exploring how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning can influence the development trends of the future information security field, the security protection of intelligent devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) era is also a hot topic. In this issue, "Information Network" will introduce how to protect information security in the era of smart homes.

                New security challenges in the era of smart home

        Do you use smart TV to watch programs and enjoy multiple applications at home? Have you ever used a baby camera to detect a baby's crying and sleep state? Or using smart speakers to control smart appliances through voice control? These connected smart devices provide a more convenient living experience for everyone, expanding the attack range of home networks. Once the security line of home routers is breached, hackers can easily penetrate various devices, pry into your privacy, steal sensitive information, and even control devices to launch attacks.

        Abnormal home system, don't think it's just a bug

        Recently, common netizens have shared that the smart camera system at home is experiencing strange situations, such as the surveillance lens moving and turning on its own, unfamiliar voice conversations being transmitted, and even recording footage of non family members. At first, the parties involved thought it was just a system crash or encountering a supernatural event, but later realized that it was a remote intrusion control by hackers. This shows that in the smart home environment, the network security at home has faced unprecedented challenges.

        Home routers become attack springboards

        Due to the fact that the general public does not specifically inspect home routers, and home routers lack an automatic update mechanism, security vulnerabilities in related products are highly likely to be exploited by hackers. For example, if Wi Fi is compromised at home, it may lead to the camera being hacked and controlled. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced in May 2024 that common D-Link home routers, DIR-600 and DIR-605, have years of unrepaired vulnerabilities that could pose a threat to home networks and connected devices. Due to D-Link ceasing to provide support for the DIR-605 device in 2015, if the device is not regularly inspected and upgraded immediately, it may become a target of hacker attacks.

        Internet of Things (IoT) security has become a global trend

        With the popularization of smart home devices, the scope of Internet of Things (IoT) for home use is rapidly expanding. Once there is a loophole in connected devices, hackers can easily enter the room. To this end, local governments have proposed corresponding regulations.

        1. United States: In December 2020, the Internet of Things (IoT) Cybersecurity Act was passed, requiring federal government agencies to only purchase Internet of Things (IoT) equipment that meets minimum security standards, indirectly affecting industry standards, and also implementing mandatory certification for defense supply chains to ensure that contractors have appropriate cybersecurity capabilities.

        2. EU: Starting from two levels of supply chain risk assessment and asset security verification system, on the one hand, it reviews the background of suppliers to prevent high-risk operators from participating in critical facilities, and on the other hand, through the 2019 Cybersecurity Law, it promotes verification mechanisms to encourage operators to improve the asset security level of products, in order to comprehensively strengthen the asset security protection of the Internet of Things (IoT) industry in Europe.

        3. Chinese Mainland: In 2017, the Cyber Security Law was promulgated, in which Article 22 regulated that network products and service providers should comply with the mandatory security requirements of relevant national standards. When security vulnerabilities were found, they should immediately repair and notify users to provide continuous security maintenance for products.

        4. Singapore: In 2018, the Cybersecurity Act was enacted and the Internet of Things (IoT) product level evaluation mechanism, the Singapore Cybersecurity Label System (CLS), was introduced. The security level of products was divided into four levels, allowing consumers to easily identify products with higher security standards.

        5. Taiwan: Supports the Internet of Things (IoT) product security testing and certification label service provided by the Action Application Security Alliance. The alliance will issue security labels of L1 to L3 levels based on the risk level of the product to assist consumers in selecting suitable products.

        Smart Home Networking Equipment Security Tips

        To ensure the security of home networks and smart networking devices, in addition to raising awareness of information security protection, it is recommended to take the following protective measures:

        1. Instantly update the system software and install patches to ensure that the device is flawless.

        2. Set high-intensity and complex exclusive passwords, and replace them regularly. Do not use personally identifiable information.

        3. Adopting a more secure WPA2 network encryption method, any device that wants to connect to the network must enter a password.

        4. Develop good internet habits and avoid easily opening unknown websites or executing suspicious programs.

        5. Always check if the router is connected by unknown devices.

        Only by continuously improving network security awareness and adopting effective protection technologies can we minimize the risk of home network being exploited by hackers and ensure the safety of family life.

        *Image source: Freepik

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