Avira drives IoT security for the smart home with TP-Link’s new HomeCare™ Pro for routers

Avira is pleased to be driving TP-Link’s new HomeCare™ Pro, the security platform launched at CES. This new combination of TP-Link’s router experience with Avira’s security expertise lets consumers easily ensure the privacy and security of their smart homes.

Smart homes aren’t so smart on user privacy and security

You don’t have to have a Ring security camera to know — smart homes are a privacy and security nightmare. They are full of invasive devices sucking out user details and vulnerable devices that could be hijacked to launch Mirai-inspired DDoS attacks. It doesn’t help that devices being rushed to market with preset passwords and vulnerabilities that users can’t fix. These are not small devices either with the FBI warning about the hacking and privacy risks from smart TVs.

Your router stands in the doorway

Routers have a surprisingly critical role for home security. Not only are hackers passing through the router when they exploit vulnerable IoT devices, the router itself is a major target. The Avira research team has found that routers make up more than 70% of the infected devices in IoT attacks – far exceeding the share of any other device.

Vulnerable devices (and routers) make it easy for the bad guys

The IoT rush to market has also made it easier for hackers, thanks to the vast numbers of unprotected and exposed smart devices. It also does not help that many devices come with hard-coded or difficult-to-change credentials and passwords.

Hackers are looking to attack – and they don’t have to be really sophisticated either. An Avira honeypot recorded its first attacks within five minutes of being connected to the internet. Even worse, attacks targeting devices with blank or empty credentials made up 25.6% of the total, followed by 23.4% targeting weak or default credentials such as “support | support.” Parallel to this, a quarter of the IoT malware attacks showed hackers zeroing in on known vulnerabilities — mirroring their usual malware strategy for computers.

Privacy and security sized for your smart home

Combining Avira’s “engineered-in-Germany” AI technology and TP-Links years of experience, HomeCare™ Pro starts by securing the Wi-Fi gateway to the home and continues to protect the home network and all devices.

HomeCare™ Pro protects all connected devices in the home network against external and internal attacks and blocks incoming threats with its malicious content filter. Within the network, HomeCare™ Pro identifies and blocks suspicious behavior from individual devices and flags invasive tracker activity. Its DDoS protection prevents devices from joining malicious botnets and being misused to knock targeted sites off the internet. These extensive features are driven by advanced machine learning techniques to give users a nearly hands-free secure online experience.

Drive faster, drive even more securely

Combining TP-Link’s router expertise with Avira’s security experience is a clear win-win situation for users.

“We are thrilled to bring these new security solutions to market with networking devices designed to transform the user experience with their new speed and connectivity features. It’s more than speed, as HomeCare™ Pro makes the smart home safe by closing vulnerable security windows,” said Pingji Li, VP & GM of TP-Link Networking BU.

“Avira is honored to work with TP-Link to bring faster, more secure Wi-Fi routers to market that are targeted for both consumers and ISPs. The connected world is moving faster than ever — and by combining our SafeThings technology with TP-Link’s router expertise, we can protect people more effectively,” said Travis Witteveen, CEO of Avira.