Smart homes can make life at home more convenient, especially for remote workers. However, a recent report suggests many smart homes are vulnerable to cyberattacks. In its “Smart Home Report 2019,” the cybersecurity firm Avast revealed that just under 41 percent of the 16 million smart homes surveyed across the globe contained at least one vulnerable connected device. The Avast report found that 69 percent of vulnerable devices in smart homes were determined to be susceptible to attacks due to simple passwords or one-factor authentication. Two- or multi-factor authentication provides an extra layer of security and is a simple way to safeguard smart homes from cyberattacks. Two-factor authentication is a security process that requires users to provide two different factors to verify their identities. A password to log in to an account is typically the first factor users utilize. The second factor may be a cell phone number that users provide. In such instances, a code is instantly texted to the number provided when users attempt to log in. Once that code is entered, users can then access their programs and accounts. Two-factor authentication is not time-consuming, and users can typically expect to access files, accounts and apps within seconds of verifying their identities a second time. That makes two-factor authentication a simple and highly effective way to make smart homes less vulnerable to cyberattacks.