In many of our past issues, we have discussed the importance of securing your home WiFi. As we turn the calendar from 2023 to 2024, we thought it would be good idea to head into the new year by discussing tips to ensure your network stays private. Here are some actionable steps that you can take to secure your home WiFi network:
- Change Your Password: Two passwords must be routinely changed to protect your home network. The first is the WiFi password itself: this is the password that allows you to connect devices and stop strangers from accessing your network. The second password is the router admin password. As its name suggests, this password allows you to change settings on the administrative level of your device. Were a bad actor to gain access to this password, it would mean they could change any setting on your device that they wanted.
- Enable Encryption: Some home users do not enable encryption because they want to easily share their internet with the people they know. This is a mistake. Without encryption, bad actors can spy on your internet traffic, and this gives them a better insight into what sites you most frequently visit. The recommended encryption is WPA2 for the best security; make sure to also pick WPA2 Personal when setting up your encryption.
- Set Up a Guest Network: Here is a simple step that goes a long way toward shielding your home network from unknown security risks. By setting up a guest SSID and password, only your primary network users will be able to see your internet access. This both protects you from outside observation as well as outside malware that is unsuspectingly brought into your home.
- Disabling Features that Bypass Firewall Protections: The reason Windows comes with a built-in firewall is to protect from DDoS attacks. Although features such as Universal Plug and Play are convenient—in this case, by allowing devices to find each other on your network—they bypass this firewall so that a password is not needed. When you leave your ports open, you leave yourself vulnerable to an attack.
- Install a Firewall: This last tip requires some extra work on your end, but sometimes that extra step can make all the difference. Host-based firewalls can be added in addition to router-based firewalls to provide an extra layer of protection. The logic is simple: even if a bad actor managed to bypass your home network, you would still have another layer of security waiting for them.
