Internet Security
Tips to protect your home network

Tips to protect your home network

Tips to protect your devices, your home network and your privacy from cybercrime.

Do you have a wifi connection at home? Do you have at least one connected device at home? Do you receive visits from family and friends?

And most importantly: Are you sure everything is properly protected?

By the time you finish this article you will have a much stronger answer to question number four.

Protect your computer

Perhaps the easiest place to start with home security is to protect your devices. Computers, tablets and phones are susceptible to malicious infection from the Internet or other applications that are either more than you thought, or are free, but cheated.

To protect your devices, the best advice is to install a good antivirus solution. There are several competent products that have been tested by independent and trusted professionals. The price is very variable and you can even get some of them for free. I recommend our Kaspersky Security Cloud product because it offers the most advanced protection and covers multiple devices, including PCs, Macs, Android and even Macs.

In addition to having good security software, you should also follow a basic rule: don’t download applications that don’t come from official sources, such as Google Play or the App Store, or from the application’s site.

Otherwise, you run the risk of downloading a modified version of the application you were looking for, with additional features that will fill your screen with ads, spy on you, mine crypto-currencies at your expense, or steal the user from your bank account.

Protect your wifi

When they installed the Internet connection in your home, the provider probably installed their own modem/router combination, which is known as a home network, and set up a password for you. If you didn’t change the name and password, now is the time. The main reason is that you’re paying for the service, so why would you let someone take it away from you?

Most routers have a username and password as an administrator/administrator or administrator/password. A simple Google search of your router model will provide the default credentials.

From there, you can change the network name, set a new password, and reconfigure any other available options. You can also do this yourself, and while you’re at it, remember to update your router’s firmware.

You should also set up a network for family and friends visiting your home. I reserve the name of the main wifi network and obviously changed the password.

Protects smart devices/the Internet from things

However, if you have IdC devices connected to your network, I advise you to connect them to the guest network and not to the main network, and to change their default passwords. You may be wondering why you should change the password.

The answer is similar to the issue mentioned above about default router settings. Most IdC devices have a default password that can be easily found with a Google search. Go ahead and check it out for yourself, then change yours.

This is a worrying reason, as many cybercriminals have infected these devices and are adding them to botnets at an alarming rate.

A blindfolded Big Brother

We’ve asked you before if anyone is spying on you. In a way, it was a joke, but the truth is that you should pay attention to your computer’s webcam. Many applications and websites request access to your camera and microphone. What do they do with them? You’ll never know, but there’s a chance someone is watching you somewhere in the world.

How can you avoid this? You can cover your camera with tape or buy a webcam protector that you open only when you want to use your camera. Good anti-virus programs also offer the ability to restrict access to cameras, a feature I highly recommend.

Threats forbidden to enter via USB

We cannot fail to mention another threat that affects not only companies, but also people like you and me.

Have you ever come across a flash drive in a parking lot, park, or office? I’m sure I have. Among the vast majority of gifts we receive, these devices abound, so it’s not a catastrophe to lose one.

Now, if you do find one, should you plug it into your computer and see what surprises it holds? The answer is simple: No! I mean, not only did curiosity kill the cat, but it can also introduce malware or crypto miners into your device. Don’t you believe me? Remember in 2010 when the Stuxnet virus infected the network of a nuclear facility through an old USB drive.

The recent Kaspersky Lab study shows that USBs and other removable media are still very popular among cybercriminals who use them as a means of infection.

I hope these tips will help you and bring protection closer to your home network. I also suggest you investigate the tips we offer at Kaspersky Daily to increase your level of security.