As smart home technology continues to evolve, more people are embracing the convenience of connected devices to enhance their living spaces. Smart lights, thermostats, locks, and even refrigerators are transforming how we interact with our homes. However, along with these benefits comes a growing concern about privacy and security. When building a smart home, it is crucial to address potential risks to protect personal data and ensure your home is safe from cyber threats.
Cloud home assistants (such as Google Home, Alexa and Siri) and other internet connected devices collect large amounts of personal data (including voice samples, location data, home details and logs of all interactions). Since you have limited control over what is being collected, how it’s stored, and what it will be used for, this makes it hard to recommend any consumer smart home products to anyone who cares about privacy and security.
Security vs Privacy
There are many smart devices on the market that claim to increase the security of your home while being easy and convenient to use (such as Smart Burglar Alarms, Internet Security Cameras, Smart Locks and Remote access Doorbells to name a few). These devices may appear to make security easier, but there is a trade-off in terms of privacy: as they collect large amounts of personal data, and leave you without control over how this is stored or used. The security of these devices is also questionable, since many of them can be (and are being) hacked, allowing an intruder to bypass detection with minimum effort. The most privacy-respecting option, would be to not use “smart” internet-connected devices in your home, and not to rely on a security device that requires an internet connection. But if you do, it is important to fully understand the risks of any given product, before buying it. Then adjust settings to increase privacy and security.
The following checklist will help mitigate the risks associated with internet-connected home devices.
Rename devices to not specify brand/model
Change default device names to something generic to prevent targeted attacks by obscuring brand or model information.
Disable microphone and camera when not in use
Use hardware switches to turn off microphones and cameras on smart devices to protect against accidental recordings or targeted access.
Understand what data is collected, stored and transmitted
Research and ensure comfort with the data handling practices of smart home devices before purchase, avoiding devices that share data with third parties.
Set privacy settings, and opt out of sharing data with third parties
Adjust app settings for strictest privacy controls and opt-out of data sharing with third parties wherever possible.
Don’t link your smart home devices to your real identity
Use anonymous usernames and passwords, avoiding sign-up/log-in via social media or other third-party services to maintain privacy.
Keep firmware up-to-date
Regularly update smart device firmware to apply security patches and enhancements. Ensure automatic updates are enabled when possible or check for updates regularly.
Protect your Network
Secure your home WiFi and network to prevent unauthorized access to smart devices.
Use a Guest Network for Guests
Do not grant access to your primary WiFi network to visitors, as it enables them to interact with other devices on the network. If your router allows, create a guest network for your smart devices. This prevents them from sharing the same network as your personal computers and phones, reducing the impact of potential breaches.
Don’t connect your home’s critical infrastructure to the Internet
Evaluate the risks of internet-connected thermostats, alarms, and detectors due to potential remote access by hackers.
Mitigate Alexa/Google Home Risks
Consider privacy-focused alternatives that keep speech processing on hardware you control, such as Home Assistant Assist or OpenVoiceOS. If you keep a cloud assistant, use its hardware mute switch to prevent idle listening.
Monitor your home network closely
Use tools like FingBox or router features to monitor for unusual network activity.
Deny Internet access where possible
Use firewalls to block internet access for devices that don’t need it, limiting operation to local network use.
Assess risks
Consider the privacy implications for all household members and adjust device settings for security and privacy, such as disabling devices at certain times.
Avoid cloud Voice Assistants
Google Assistant, Alexa and Siri don’t have the best reputation when it comes to protecting consumers’ privacy, there have been documented breaches where third-party apps were able to eavesdrop and phish for passwords.
For that reason it is recommended not to have these devices in your house. If you still want a voice interface, these open source projects are actively maintained and keep speech processing on hardware you control:
- Home Assistant Assist - The voice layer built into Home Assistant. Wake word, speech-to-text and text-to-speech can all run locally, and it controls the devices and automations you already have. There is first-party microphone hardware (Voice Preview Edition) and support for DIY satellites over the open Wyoming protocol.
- OpenVoiceOS - The community-driven continuation of Mycroft, kept alive after the original company shut down in 2023. Runs on a Raspberry Pi, a desktop or dedicated hardware, and keeps the skill model that made Mycroft easy to extend.
- Willow - Self-hosted voice assistant firmware for inexpensive ESP32-S3 boards, designed as a drop-in replacement for an Echo or a Nest speaker. It talks to your own inference server and integrates with Home Assistant.
Be careful with the projects that older privacy guides still recommend: Mycroft shut down as a company in 2023 (its site now redirects to the OpenConversational community), Snips was bought by Sonos in 2019 and its developer platform was closed, Rhasspy has been archived (its work lives on in Home Assistant and the Wyoming protocol), and Kalliope, Jovo, Dragonfire and Project Alias have been archived or left without commits for years. They may still run, but nobody is patching their dependencies, so treat them as experiments rather than as security advice.
Conclusion
Building a smart home brings incredible convenience and efficiency, but it also requires careful attention to privacy and security. By taking the necessary precautions - securing your devices, protecting your network, and regularly reviewing your system - you can create a smart home that is both functional and safe. With the right approach, you can enjoy the benefits of smart technology while safeguarding your data and personal space.
On our website, Smart Home Compared, you can find comparisons of the best Smart Home devices: thermostats, cameras, doorbells, lights, sensors, sirens, air quality monitors, smoke & CO alarms and more.
Take a look at our Cameras and Routers comparisons so you can decide wisely.