The accomplished smart home has been a coveted commodity for many years. In fact, France is one of the top 3 countries in the world for home automation. However, home automation has a number of security disadvantages that can be perilous to ignore. So what are the principles behind the concept and what are the risks? We take a closer look here!
What is home automation?
Home automation covers all methods of controlling, programming and automating a home. The concept is also known as "smart home". It aims to make life more comfortable for everyone by automating certain tasks and making others easier. A connected home can be equipped with all kinds of connected devices, from a connected thermostat, through door locks, to a connected cooker.
These connected objects are controlled by smartphones or tablets, via applications. The management of these elements is centralised for greater simplicity. This has many advantages for users of connected homes.
What are the advantages of home automation?
Well-configured home automation has a lot going for it.
- Living comfort is optimised and considerable time is saved.
- It's possible to control objects in the home remotely. You won't have to keep wondering whether you've turned off this or that appliance when you leave the house. You'll be able to manage your devices from wherever you are, with a certain configuration.
- Home automation helps you save energy by controlling consumption more effectively. And by killing two birds with one stone, it helps to reduce our environmental footprint.
What are the risks and pitfalls of home automation?
It's true that home automation is an exciting technological advance. But it has its drawbacks and vulnerabilities, which can be costly.
The price of a home automation system
While it's true that connected objects are becoming more and more accessible, the fact remains that the cost of installation and fitting them out is still very high.
However, even if you can't afford a fully connected home, some connected accessories are relatively accessible and can be used separately.
The fragility of connected objects
Unfortunately, connected objects are very easy to tamper with. Not to mention the fact that they have relatively few resources and just as little processing capacity. They are therefore highly vulnerable to attack. And that's a major problem for fans of the Internet of Things.
Vulnerability of the domestic network
In reality, the fact that some of your connected objects are hacked or destroyed is not the main problem. The fact is that, since all your objects are connected to each other via the central unit, a successful attack on one of them puts your entire home system at risk, including your smartphone. This means that all your private information, social networking and banking accounts are also exposed.
That's why it's so important to be vigilant and follow all the experts' recommendations and advice when owning or managing a connected home.
Home automation
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