If your holiday gift was Amherst-worthy tech like a smart home device, it’s time to think about security as soon as it joins your Wi-Fi network. Whatever consumer electronics product you can name, there’s probably a “smart” version that you configure via an app or Internet-connected interface, and many such devices come pre-configured with not just a default username and password, but the same default credentials as every other unit. That’s bad enough, but worse, most people never change those defaults, which is just asking hackers and malicious bots to break in and take over. This risk is real—it has happened to security cameras, baby monitors, light bulbs, DVRs, toasters, refrigerators, and even fish tanks. So, if you received any so-called “Internet of Things” devices for the holidays—or have one or more already installed on your home network—immediately change the usernames (if possible) and passwords to something more secure. Store the new usernames and passwords in your password manager for future reference. We serve Buffalo, Amherst, and Western New York.

(Featured image by iStock.com/EvgeniyShkolenko)