Home Entertainment Device Recommendations

Home entertainment devices, such as Blu-ray players, set-top video players (e.g. Apple TV®[11]), and video game controllers, are capable of accessing the Internet via a wireless or wired connection. Although connecting these types of devices to a home network generally poses a low-security risk, you can implement security measures to ensure these don't become a weak link in your network.

  1. Protect the Device within the Network
    Ensure the device is behind the home router/firewall to protect it from unfettered access from the Internet. In the case of a device that supports wireless, follow the Wireless local area network (LAN) security guidance in this document.
  2. Use Strong Passwords for Service Accounts
    Most home entertainment devices require you to sign up for additional services, for example:
    1. Amazon Prime®[15]
    2. iTunes®[16]
    3. Netflix®[14]
    4. Playstation®[12] Network
    5. Xbox Live®[13]
      Follow the password guidance later in this document when creating and maintaining service accounts.
  3. Disconnect When Not in Use
    To prevent attackers from probing the network via home entertainment devices, if possible, disconnect these systems from the Internet when not in use. Some Internet Service Provider (ISP) modems/routers have a standby button you can use to disable the Internet connection.