A report published by deep instinct to find out the increase in malware during the global pandemic in 2020 suggests “Malware increased by 358% in the year 2020”.
This is an alarming signal for all individual as well businesses to protect their data from intruders and hackers by upgrading the security on all devices.
Security is essential at all places whether it’s a workplace, universities, school or a house environment. It is of upmost importance to ensure high security on all our devices to protect it against any cyber threat.
With web enabled gadgets everywhere in the current times vulnerability is very common. Vulnerability is a flaw within the system that might get exploited by a threat – an attacker to violate the protection policy of the device
If you are concerned about the security of your connection here are few steps to check if your home router is vulnerable or not:
Step 1: Check your routers connectivity and authentication.
The first step is to check all devices that are associate with your router. This ensures all devices at home automatically authenticate and connect while unknown connections can be removed.
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In order to check the number of devices registered on your network login to your router type the IP address. Once you have logged in, check the device list, you’ll find a list of all the IP addresses associated with your network. All devices might not have a name so you’ll have individually check the IP address for each device
Step 2: Set up a strong, unique password which is very hard to crack
Make sure you always change the default password on your router & create a strong and unique password which makes it very difficult for the hackers to crack the code.
Also check the type of authentication protocol your router uses. Ensure its WPA 2 security method which ensures more security. This protocol is usually enabled as default on all modern routers but if your router is still showing WEP protocol make sure you check the router settings and change it.
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WPA 2 security ensures safety as all new devices are required to enter the password first in order to connect to the network.
Also cultivate a habit of changing your password once every month. This requires you to reconnect all your devices again by entering a new password but also keeps all threats in the form of unknown networks away from your device.
Step 3: Conduct Vulnerability Tests
There are particular tools which we can use to check the vulnerability of our router. These tools provide information on how we can solve problems that might occur anytime. Hackers use very similar tools to find out the vulnerability of your router so its always good to be a step ahead of them and conduct this test by our own self.
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Step 4: Validate the Number of Connected Devices.
It is important to validate the number of connected devices for the following reasons:
- To ensure no unknown device is connected to your network.
2. To ensure smooth functioning of your network.
3. To prevent any unknown network from getting access to our private information.
4. The next step involves of permitting only allowed devices, by using filters to restrict access to specific IP addresses or MAC addresses only.
Step 5: Devices Should Be Updated Timely to Ensure Security of Your Network.
To ensure safety as devices such as computers, smartphones, laptops, tablets, etc
should be updated as due to the latest technology they are capable of protecting the devices from being vulnerable.
Along with this configuring computer for “Public Network” mode, increase the safety level of the device compared to the “Private/Home” network mode, because it lessens the danger of attack across"
Step 6: Be Up to Date with The Router Settings to Ensure Safety of Data at All Times.
It is important to check the router settings timely to be aware of any new security measures or any other information for complete safety of your data and protect it from any cyber threats.
Also Keep track of firmware updates and bugs that can affect your device and try to get a router with a firewall for as an additional safety measure.
By following these steps, you will know if your home network is vulnerable or not.
In case you find out your home router is vulnerable follow the steps mentioned below to protect your data:
- Without any delay just reboot your router.
- Change your wireless network password.
- Remote administration should be deactivated.
- Run a virus scan all over the device to detect and remove any malicious software.
- Routers firmware should be updates.
If you are unable to carry out these steps you can call your Internet Service Provider and inform them about your security issue. They will help in solving your security issue.
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