Security News > 2021 > March > Not quite "The Purge," but 70% adopted home tech to increase security amid pandemic
Many who were largely confined to their homes contributed to the surge in home improvements like new or upgraded home offices, kitchen and outdoor rec spaces.
Home security during the pandemic was critical, notably to those who were working from home, because the change from in-office to in-home was so swift, many IT departments couldn't cover all the employees with access to what-should-be-secure files.
The security of smart home products remains a major concern, with 47% worried about getting hacked, 44% about breach of privacy and 37% about identity theft.
In the arena of non-security home tech, smart speakers and displays topped the list of smart pandemic purchases at 69%, followed by smart doorbell and lock systems, home security systems, smart thermostats, pet cameras and feeders, robotic vacuums and smart outlets.
"People prioritize their family's well-being during a time of uncertainty by focusing on security/safety devices in the last year ironically, users who purchased home security systems cited concerns with the device's security capabilities, almost half believe they are easily susceptible to hacks or identity theft! That was a little unexpected."
"The most popular smart home products spurred by the pandemic were smart speaker systems like Amazon's Alexa, followed by smart doorbell systems like Nest and Ring," Homes.com reported.