Quick Pop Quiz:

1) Do you use the same home Wi-Fi network for smart devices (like smart TVs and connected thermostats) as for your home office?

2) Have you changed the default password on all your smart devices?

3) Bottom line: Is your home network secure? Are you sure?

And beyond your personal situation, how important is this smart home cybersecurity problem in 2026 on a global scale?

Back in December 2025, Bitdefender released details regarding global cyber attacks against smart home devices.

“Attack attempts were directed at a wide variety of device types, showing the opportunistic nature of such attempts. The most frequently targeted models included smart plugs, smart phones, NAS devices, surveillance systems, routers, development boards, as well as various makes and models of smart TVs and consumer electronics.”

Last week, MSN.com reported that “Irish consumers warned devices such as dodgy boxes may have been compromised in cyber attack.”

“Irish consumers have been warned that everyday devices in their homes, including so-called ‘dodgy boxes’, could have been compromised without their knowledge during a major global cyberattack.

“The largest volumetric Distributed Denial of Service attack was recorded last week. It reportedly saw more than 2m Android devices compromised by a botnet in 35 seconds. …

“Grant Thornton Ireland said that the attack predominantly compromised Android-enabled TVs and TV streaming devices.”

And IT Brew recently reported that “smart devices put homes, offices at risk.”

“That 65-inch smart TV in your home can be more dangerous than you think. …

“Streaming devices and TVs were the most vulnerable connected devices, accounting for 25.9 percent and 21.3 percent respectively of exposed devices examined by the two security companies.”

BRIEF HISTORY ON SMART HOME SECURITY

In 2015, it was clear that governments needed an Internet of Things (IoT) strategy as more and more physical devices were being connected.

In 2016, smart cities were growing in popularity, as more and more devices were plugging into government networks.

In 2017, I asked some probing questions about “Who cares about smart city security?” “City planners, tech startups and innovators describe to city leaders in tantalizing detail the amazing opportunities that will come to innovative smart cities. Meanwhile, security pros tell scary hacking stories at security conferences and in technology and cyber magazines to other security pros.”

In 2018, I attempted to start to bridge (some of) the smart cities security divide. I ended with this: “Back in December, the Harvard Business Review (HBR) offered this article entitled: <i class="rte2-style-italic">The Internet of Things is Going To Change Everything About Cybersecurity</i>, and I certainly agree with the article title and the premise that IoT is a gamer-changer for the world, including smart cities.

“However, I disagree with author Yevgeny Dibrov’s premise that the way to get to better IoT security and ‘move towards a more intelligent, secure future’ is by removing people from the process. I wrote a blog post in response arguing that ‘no security message is more central than this: People, and their actions, will always matter in cybersecurity.’”

SMART HOMES: BENEFITS AND PRIVACY CONCERNS

So fast-forward eight years, and the same challenges seem to be surfacing as we see more and more smart TVs, smart ovens, smart refrigerators, even smart bathrooms. This Yahoo article from last August describes how your smart mirror might be watching you.

There is no doubt that there are major benefits to these smart devices. This video on smart mirrors shows the potential health benefits:

Nevertheless, the privacy and security concerns continue to be immense, and with AI now playing a new role in smart homes, the concerns seem to be accelerating. This article from the National Association of Realtors shows “How AI Will Power the Next Wave of Smart Home Tech” — including robots coming soon to a home near you.

“The LG AI Home Robot was made to handle all the house chores. It connects to LG’s ThinQ smart home platform to assist with everyday household tasks, from folding laundry to even organizing the refrigerator or loading the dishwasher. Equipped with sensors, cameras and voice recognition, the AI Home Robot navigates the home autonomously while learning daily routines. It’s designed to be proactive and emotionally responsive, aiming to reduce household labor and improve quality of life.”

On the other end of the privacy spectrum, check out this two-year-old video on the topic of how “AI Mirrors Are a Privacy Nightmare”:

FINAL THOUGHTS

Back a decade ago, this brief YouTube video imagined what could go wrong if a smart home was hacked.

Too extreme? Scaremongering? Sure. But as we move toward 2030, more and more smart devices are quietly being added to our lives — bringing up a frog boiling in the pot scenario where we all experience gradual changes in smart devices all around us.

What can be done to help protect “smart everything” from the glasses on our faces to our homes to our cities in 2030? I will address that topic in an upcoming second blog on IoT security and privacy in 2026.