Establishing a sense of safety is a top priority for all new homeowners. Securing entry points by selecting reliable locks or installing home security cameras are precautions that are never ignored when assessing home security risks. Rightfully so, since safeguarding your home’s entrances will ward off potential intruders and protect your property. On the other hand, cybersecurity measures aimed to protect your home network are often overlooked or seen as not important. Yet they can have detrimental effects if hackers take advantage of your home’s vulnerabilities.
Securing your home network prevents malicious actors from gaining access to your personal information and leveraging it for financial gain. Changing the default name and password of your Wi-Fi, keeping your router’s software up to date and disabling SSID broadcasting are great measures to virtually protect your home. However, implementing additional practices will prevent hackers from gaining unauthorised access and increase the cybersecurity of your home network.
Risks of having an unprotected home network
Without appropriate cybersecurity means, your home network is vulnerable to various cyberthreats including personal data interception, identity theft and malware. Any smart device connected to your home network is at risk of being compromised. The growing popularity of the Internet of Things (IoT) is introducing new security risks for homeowners. It entails devices that are able to connect and exchange data with other devices on the internet such as smart TV’s, heating systems, smart refrigerators and more. One of the biggest threats surrounding the IoT is the lack of encryption. If an attacker were to penetrate the network, they could intercept credentials and other important information transmitted to and from the device.
To protect your home network from cyberthreats, implementing the right security measures is essential. The best cybersecurity practices for new homeowners include:
1. Getting a VPN
A VPN, also known as Virtual Private Network, is a great way to protect all your smart devices. It encrypts your traffic and hides your IP address which prevents hackers, software, and web browsers from gaining access to your connection. Most VPN providers are easy to set up on routers or possess DNS feature which allows the service to be installed and used on devices that initially don’t support VPN’s, such as smart TV’s, game consoles and more. Another great benefit of a VPN is the ability to virtually relocate to almost any country in the world which means you can easily access content that isn’t available in your region. For those on a budget, opting for a cheap monthly VPN subscription can make this essential cybersecurity tool even more accessible, ensuring reliable protection without breaking the bank.
2. Changing the default passwords on all your smart devices
Maintaining default passwords on your IoT devices is a significant security risk. Hackers can exploit your smart devices by gaining unauthorised access and stealing sensitive information or using your devices for malicious purposes such as creating botnets. Botnets entail a network of private devices connected to the internet, that are infected with malware and controlled by a hacker in order to steal data, send spam or perform DDoS attacks. Therefore, changing the default passwords on all your smart devices is a crucial step to increase your home’s cybersecurity.
3. Installing antivirus software
Antivirus software is very beneficial since it protects you from malicious viruses such as malware and spyware. Clicking on an email attachment or advertisement, downloading an infected app or even following a link from a text message can infect your device with malware. Once activated, malware attacks system data, steals confidential information, spies on system resources and degrades system performance. However, antivirus software detects, blocks and removes viruses and malware from the system while also warning about dangerous websites, apps, attachments or links. Installing antivirus software is a great practice to protect your home network and smart devices from cyberthreats.
Conclusion
By implementing cybersecurity practices, new homeowners can virtually protect their homes from cyber threats. With increasing volumes of cyber-attacks each year, taking appropriate measures has never been more important. Getting a VPN, changing the default passwords on all your smart devices and installing antivirus software are great practices for new homeowners to establish a sense of safety and cybersecurity in their homes.
