Securing the Modern Home in Southeast Asia and Oceania for Smarter Living

By CU Kim, President & CEO for Samsung Electronics Southeast Asia and Oceania

Protecting our personal sanctuary and our belongings are second nature. This is why we check our locks, close our windows, and invest in gates. Today, however, the modern connected home has dozens of invisible, digital entryways: From smart TVs and refrigerators, to robot vacuums, speakers, and more. While these bring convenience in a new era of intelligent living, they also represent potential vulnerabilities from within.

This shift has not been lost on consumers in Southeast Asia and Oceania (SEAO). In fact, reports are finding that data privacy and security are key purchasing considerations for consumers in markets like Australia[1], Indonesia[2], and Singapore[3]. This sentiment is echoed in; a recent global Samsung survey found that respondents expect AI-driven security features to protect their homes and ensure their families’ safety, with “Security / safe” frequently cited as key criteria for AI home appliances[4].

With our increasingly connected lives, the very concept of home security needs a critical rethink. Having peace of mind now depends on safeguarding our digital lives with the same rigor that we apply to our physical ones. Unlike physical break-ins that usually leave visible signs, a digital intrusion is often invisible. The target is not your television set, but your personal data, your family’s routines, and your privacy.

A cybersecurity breach can extend far beyond your front door. Poorly protected devices can face malware risks, with attacks that potentially disrupt their features, give hackers access to device cameras, enable theft of data, and more.

For the modern consumer, the challenge of managing the security settings of their various home appliances has intensified, especially as they embrace more smart devices. This creates the need for a holistic, built-in solution that works seamlessly in the background, offering robust protection without requiring constant user intervention. Without the right safeguards in place, consumers could find themselves vulnerable to privacy breaches – just imagine a robot vacuum’s camera recording footage of house interiors without authorisation and revealing when a home is empty, or a compromised appliance revealing sensitive personal information like passwords and biometric data.

Security by Design, Our Layered Approach

At Samsung, our goal is to deliver trusted and personalised experiences through security solutions that aim to help protect your different connected devices and appliances. From on-device features like Knox Vault, to the Knox Matrix which enables ecosystem-wide protection, Samsung aims to provide you with ease, convenience, and care.  

Samsung Knox is a comprehensive, multi-layered security platform that is designed to act as an invisible shield for the entire ecosystem of Samsung devices, with Knox Vault[5] and Knox Matrix[6] being key innovations within that platform.

Think of Knox Vault as a physical, safe built directly into the hardware of our devices. This is where data like cryptographic keys and digital certificates are stored, isolated from the main system. Across our screen-equipped home appliances, we’ve also integrated the Passkey[7] feature – a digital credential that allows users to log in to home appliance apps and websites[8] using biometrics such as fingerprints.

Connectivity within the Samsung ecosystem likewise helps to safeguard against threats when they go undetected. Samsung’s Knox Matrix creates a trusted, network that turns a smart home into a “smart shield,”.  where more connected devices mean stronger overall security. The Trust Chain in particular — which is a part of Knox Matrix — is managed on a private blockchain, enabling devices to monitor each other for threats

Earning Consumer Trust Through a Legacy of Action

Our commitment to security is not a recent reaction to market trends, but a long-standing commitment to our customers. Samsung is an  innovator in digital security, leveraging our global expertise from the highly secure mobile industry and applying it across our entire product portfolio.

Our commitment is validated by leading independent organisations. For example, the Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam, Bespoke Jet Bot Combo, and Bespoke AI Refrigerators have received IoT security certifications from TÜV Nord based on the ETSI EN 303 645 standard which defines security and privacy requirements across the lifecycle of consumer IoT devices[9].

As AI and connectivity make our homes more intuitive and helpful, the foundation of trust becomes more critical. Our goal is to deliver a smart home experience that is as secure as it is seamless.

To ensure this trust endures, we are already preparing for future threats. Samsung is actively researching Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)[10], developing new security solutions to help our devices remain secure against potential quantum computing threats of tomorrow, helping to safeguard our products over their long lifecycles.

While our customers focus on locking their front door, they can have absolute confidence that Samsung is tirelessly securing every digital one. Our vision is clear: it’s not just about smarter living; it’s about safer living.

[1] What do Aussie Consumers consider when looking to purchase consumer electronics? – YouGov

[2] Data privacy: how concerned are consumers in APAC – and does it affect the devices they buy? – YouGov

[3] YouGov Report: Consumer electronics: Safety and sustainability

[4] Survey: Global Consumers Prioritize Personalization and Security in AI Home Appliances – Samsung Global Newsroom

[5] Currently applied to Bespoke AI Jet Bot Ultra and appliances with 7-inch or 9-inch AI Home, and AI Family Hub™ screens launched in Australia in 2025. The Bespoke AI Oven is not included.

[6] Currently available via Wi-Fi enabled appliances launched in Australia in 2025.

[7] Currently applied to appliances available in Australia featuring a 7-inch or 9-inch AI Home, and AI Family Hub™ screens launched in Australia in 2025. The Bespoke AI Oven is not included.

[8] Feature is available on websites that support the international Fast Identity Online (FIDO) standard.

[9] More information is available here: Samsung Digital Appliances Earns Its First TÜV Nord IoT Security Certification – Samsung Newsroom Australia

[10] Currently applied to appliances available in Australia featuring a 7-inch or 9-inch AI Home, and AI Family Hub™ screens launched in Australia in 2025. The Bespoke AI Oven is not included.