Technology grows by the day, and cybercrime has become the order of the day. Home gadgets have become more advanced with the advent of IoT (Internet of Things). Rarely will you find a home without a Wi-Fi connection, with every family member owning a gadget that can access the internet.
Our home networks are bigger today than they were several years ago, with internet speeds soon reaching 5G. This is all very exciting, and convenient. You can literally shop or bank from the comfort of your home. All this, however, comes with a setback – the risk of cyber attacks. Hackers have a field day targeting home networks. Here are 5 areas where your network is vulnerable and what you can do to fix it.
You are the weakest link
Human beings tend to be the weakest link and you have to work on that first. Not being a tech-guru can lead you to ignore the critical issue of home network security. We buy expensive gadgets and assume they tackle everything there is to tackle. Most times we are aware of what they can’t do, but we still sit back and hope they will miraculously work wonders.
Your home network is the gateway into your life, you cannot afford to leave it wide open for intruders to just walk in. The first thing you need to do is be proactive. Use a network scanner and scan the gadgets logged into your network to check for any unwanted guests.
Secure your home Wi-Fi
It is nice of you to be generous and share your Wi-Fi by leaving the home network open for all and sundry, but it is very dangerous and can turn disastrous. Anyone logged into your home network can easily access your internet traffic. Should this information fall into the wrong hands, you will be in big trouble. Secure your network using strong passwords and throw in an extra security measure such as 2-factor authentication. This makes it hard for a hacker to get into your network.
Change the default SSID
SSID means Service Set Identifier, but it is simply known as the Wi-Fi network’s name. When setting up your router, it prompts you to create a new network name and its password. The network name was most likely filled in by default and most people usually leave it like that.
Changing the default SSID name to something obvious does not help in securing the network, or prevent people from piggybacking. What it does instead is at least stop advertising your hardware. Anything that makes you less visible to a hacker is encouraged.
Install a good VPN
Browsing online without hiding your IP address and location gives a hacker all the ammunition they need to hack into your home network. A VPN creates a secure connection between your device and the Internet. Some families, especially those with various IoT devices in their homes, choose to install a VPN on their routers to secure the activities of all connected devices.
Don’t click on suspicious links
As obvious as this may sound, most people do not think before clicking on email links or texts. Clicking on these links sets forth a chain of events by allowing viruses into your home network. Phishing is a method hackers use to gain data fraudulently by impersonating a legit entity such as a bank. A message from your bank with a link that once you click on it, redirects you to a fake website.
The site proceeds to ask for your login details and the hackers at that point get your data and can go ahead and hack into all your online accounts. If you get such an email purporting to be from a legal entity or even a friend, use other means to contact them for confirmation.
Conclusion
Don’t assume your home network is safe because you have a password. Ensure you eliminate all weak links to your network. Hackers do not sleep and home networks are the easiest for them. If a hacker gets hold of your online accounts, you might wake up to an empty bank account. Stay vigilant and protect yourself and your family.
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