McAfee, the device to cloud cybersecurity company, announced the planned launch of the new McAfee Secure Home Platform skill for Amazon Alexa. Soon, customers with a McAfee Secure Home Platform enabled router can use the skill to easily manage their connected home’s network security using their voice. Available on select routers including the D-Link AC2600 Powered by McAfee*, McAfee Secure Home Platform provides a built-in layer of security that automatically protects internet-connected devices on the home network from a variety of threats and delivers robust parental controls.
With the growing amount of personal information flowing to and from connected things in consumers’ homes, it’s imperative that security is extended to all those things. New devices like game consoles, home security systems, thermostats and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices must be secured to avoid becoming a target for cybercriminals.
“Consumers need to take a proactive stance to moving security beyond the endpoint and into the connected home network,” said John Giamatteo, executive vice president, consumer business group, McAfee. “McAfee understands that for consumers to use security solutions, they must fit seamlessly into the way they already live their lives. With the McAfee Secure Home Platform skill for Alexa, we are giving customers the added convenience of simply managing their home’s network security using their voice.”
Here are a few of the ways customers can use their voice to manage and control McAfee Secure Home Platform features from Alexa-enabled devices:
- “Alexa, ask McAfee how many devices are online right now”
- Customers can easily discover devices on their home network and be informed when a new device joins.
- “Alexa, ask McAfee to scan my network”
- Run a network scan on all connected devices in the home and receive a notification through Alexa on any device that has vulnerabilities identified. In case of a botnet attack, McAfee Secure Home Platform blocks the attack and informs the user through an Alexa notification and via the McAfee mobile app.
- “Alexa, ask McAfee what is the status of my network”
- Provides a summary of all the devices connected to the home network, if they are blocked or unblocked, which devices have notifications, and more.
- “Alexa, ask McAfee to block/unblock {Device1}”
- Allows customers to block or unblock a device on the network using the device name as a parameter.
- “Alexa, ask McAfee to pause the internet for {kid1}”
- Allows customers to block access to the internet as desired, on an individual or group basis. Parents also have the ability to select time controls on a per child basis.
