Securing Your Home Network

Feel Confident Your Family is Using the Internet Safely in Your Home Network

 

Most households have a plethora of Internet devices. These may include laptops, desktops, TVs, gaming consoles, tablets and phones. Just like your work devices, it’s  important to protect your home devices from unwanted cyber threats, as your home network is also susceptible to these vulnerabilities. This means making sure your devices and wireless router are properly secured. Below are tips to put your mind at ease when your family is online at home:

 

Securing Your Devices

 Keeping a Clean Machine

Make sure all of your devices have the latest operating system, web browsers, and security software. This is the best defense against viruses, malware, and other online threats. If you use USBs or other external devices, make sure your security software is scanning them. They can be infected by viruses and malware as well.

Spend with Care

When you’re at banking or shopping websites, make sure these sites are security enabled. You can tell by the “s” that is in the web address. It should appear as “https://,” where the “s” stands for “secure.”

Back it Up

If you don’t want to go through the heartache of losing precious data, music, or irreplaceable photos, make sure to make digital copies of them. Store these copies safely and feel confident they can always be retrieved.

Operate with a Firewall

Think of a firewall as your watch guard. It monitors attempts to access your system, and then blocks those that are not permitted.  Your security software or operating system most likely has one pre-installed. Make sure this feature is turned on and running on your computer.

 

Securing Your Wireless Router

Name That Router!

When you first purchased your router, you were given a default service set identifier, or SSID, by the manufacturer. Make sure to change the default SSID to a unique name that will be hard to figure out by strangers.

Password Change Up

Just like your default SSID, your router also came with a pre-set password. Make it secure by creating a strong, lengthy password that incorporates letters, numbers, and symbols.

Choose WPA2 or WPA, Ignore WEP

Your router will have security options that you can choose from. When selecting your level of security, choose Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 – Pre-Shared Key, or WPA2 if available. If not, choose WPA. These levels are more secure than the Wired Equivalent Privacy Key, or WEP.

 

So, setting up a secure home network will save you and your family major headaches in the future. Along with these tips, always remember to communicate with your household on safe Internet practices and monitor young ones when online. Your home, in fact, is your family “business,” and it’s important to protect it as one. Safety first!