A string of security breaches made Ring Doorbell owners nervous. After all, no one wants a weird hacker to watch and talk to their kids in their own home. There have been reports of numerous doorbell hacks that leave people wondering what can be done to improve the security of their devices.
After all, the original purpose of a smart doorbell is to improve the security of your home, rather than inviting hackers into your home.
The good news is that there are several steps you can take to improve the security of Amazon Ring and protect yourself. Ring addressed the hacks in an email that was sent to users and assured them that there were no major violations of the Ring’s database or networks, which means that the problem is most likely with the individual security practices of the target families.
In this article, you will learn how to make your Amazon Ring doorbell more secure than ever, along with some tips to improve your overall cybersecurity.
Enable two-factor authentication
A 2017 Duo study found that only 28% of people use two-factor authentication (2FA). Two-factor authentication means that after entering your username and password, you will be prompted to enter a code sent to your mobile device. This code changes every time and makes your login much more secure, but even SMS messages can be hacked.
There are physical forms of two-factor authentication that are more difficult to crack. Many people ignore two-factor authentication, believing that it takes much longer, but only adds a few seconds to the login process – and if someone else tries to log in, you will know from the message you received on your phone.
Check if your information has been leaked
Security leaks are happening all the time. Even if you have personally taken all the necessary precautions, if the website you are visiting is compromised, your information could fall into the hands of attackers.
Enter your email address at haveibeenpwned.com to see if it has been linked to any of the currently known data breaches over the past few years. If so, chances are that your password was also compromised.
Change your password often
The idea of ??changing your password regularly is tedious, especially if you practice proper security when creating your password. However, due to frequent data leaks, changing your password regularly helps keep your account secure.
It is recommended to change your password no more often than every 90 days, but it is possible that you can change it to a new password every 30 days. This will greatly enhance the security of your Amazon Ring.
Use unique, strong, and different passwords for each account
Many people use the same password (or similar variations) for every Internet account. While this is certainly more convenient, it leaves holes wide enough in your cybersecurity for a truck to drive through.
Creating a strong password involves several steps and if done correctly it will be nearly impossible to remember. Write it down in a notebook, but don’t store it on your computer.
- The first step is to create a password of at least 16 characters. The longer the better.
- Do not use any personally identifiable information in your password, such as your name, address, date of birth or other available information.
- Never use your username in a password either.
- You must create a password consisting of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
- Do not use a single word as a password to avoid dictionary attacks, and make sure any common substitutions (for example, “4” for “a” or “5” for “s”) are avoided. Better to be random or use something like the suggested password generation method.
Make sure that each online account you use has a different and complex password, and don’t reuse passwords from other accounts. Keep your doorbell password separate from other accounts and the chances of someone being able to access it and hack your Amazon Ring security will be greatly reduced.
Use a different username for each account
Just as you must use a separate password for each account, you must also use a different username and email address. Think of it like investing in stocks: the more diversified your portfolio, the lower your risk.
While using separate email addresses complicates the process, it also makes your information and personal information more secure.
Do not use third-party devices
The security of your entire home network depends on its weakest link. If you have regular third-party devices, think carefully before connecting them to your home network.
These devices, especially if they are manufactured by unknown companies, may not meet the required cybersecurity standards and can be especially vulnerable to hackers. Only connect devices from companies you trust to your home network.
Even so, follow the other steps above to ensure maximum protection for each device. The last thing you need is to expose your Amazon Ring security to vulnerabilities due to one product.
To improve the security of your Amazon Ring, focus on the basics. By improving your basic cybersecurity practices, every device on your network becomes more secure. The doorbell ring has strong encryption, but it is only useful for your personal safety. Without strong unique passwords, two-factor authentication, and the use of smart devices, hackers can gain access to even the most secure networks.
–