How safe it is to expose HA on internet (2024)

FAQs

How safe is it to expose Home Assistant to the internet? ›

Often smart home automation enthusiasts want to access their Home Assistant instance remotely. This can be done by exposing the Home Assistant instance to the internet. However, this is not a secure way to access Home Assistant remotely and pose the risk of cyber attacks.

To expose your instance to the internet, use a VPN, or an SSH tunnel. Make sure to expose the used port in your router.

Summary: Home Assistant had two security audits done as part of our regular security assessments. You are safe. No authentication bypasses have been found. We did fix issues related to attackers potentially tricking users to take over their instance.

Home Assistant only discloses logged in user and commenter IP addresses under the same circ*mstances that it uses and discloses personally-identifying information as described below.

Regularly update Home Assistant with the latest security patches and bug fixes. This helps protect against known vulnerabilities. Secure remote access. If you need to access Home Assistant remotely, use secure methods, such as setting up a VPN or utilizing encrypted protocols like SSH or HTTPS.

You don't have to connect it to the internet - after Home Assistant is set up (internet is required for that).

Use virtual private networks (VPN) - Many remote users will want to connect from insecure Wi-Fi or other untrusted network connections. VPNs can eliminate that risk, however VPN endpoint software must also be kept up-to-date to avoid vulnerabilities that can occur from older versions of the software client.

Use a VPN for additional network security

For those considering how to secure your IP address, a VPN can help. A VPN alters your IP address, making it appear that you are using your device from another location than your home address. VPNs can be used on desktops, laptops, phones, or tablets.

Which hardware is best for Home Assistant? The “best” hardware depends on your specific needs and budget. For small setups, a Raspberry Pi 4 is excellent. For more extensive systems, consider an Intel NUC or Home Assistant Blue.

To enable remote control

In Home Assistant, go to Settings > Home Assistant Cloud. Make sure you are logged in to Home Assistant Cloud. If you only just logged in for the first time, you might see a message “Remote control is being prepared. We will notify you when it's ready.".

What company owns Home Assistant? ›

“Our ideal future, long term, is that we want for people to get a privacy-focused smart home is not only something rich people or nerds have access to,” Home Assistant founder and CEO of Nabu Casa Paulus Schoutsen told me in an interview.

Remote router access allows anyone not directly connected to your Wi-Fi network to access the router settings. Unless you need to access your router while away from home (to check or change the configuration of a child's connected device, for example), there should be no reason to have remote access enabled.