A leak in a ship can slowly sink it. Similarly, vulnerabilities in your home Wi-Fi network can help attackers get access to your network and its information.

Sounds scary, right?

Well, since most of our lives are spent on our phones and computers now, it's a terrifying thought that someone can access your private life, just because of a small security loophole. With a potential threat lurking in every corner, it's important to keep yourself safe online.

Let's look at some of the threats you need to be aware of, and some tips to keep yourself safe.

Why Is It Important to Keep Your Home Wi-Fi Network Secure?

Keeping your network secure from unauthorized access is important since it helps you keep your information safe; protecting your privacy and devices from threats.

A Wi-Fi network transmits data packets wirelessly, making it more susceptible to attacks than a wired connection. Unsecured Wi-Fi networks are the biggest targets for hackers since they're easier for them to access.

The use of encryption protocols and applying smart Wi-Fi practices can help you make your network more secure, protecting your confidential information.

But before we take a look at how you can secure your home network, here are some security threats you need to be aware of.

Security Threats in Your Home Wi-Fi Network

There are several ways hackers can try to gain access to your network and data. These include:

Unauthorized Access: Hackers can access Wi-Fi networks with weak passwords using specialized tools. They are always on the lookout for networks with poor protection using methods like wardriving, where the hacker drives around a neighborhood and analyzes Wi-Fi networks.

Man-In-The-Middle Attacks: In this type of cyber-attack, a hacker can eavesdrop on the network traffic between devices. The data packets from the traffic can be used to steal data and get unauthorized access.

Evil Twin Attack: A hacker can create a fake Wi-Fi network that looks the same as a real network. By using the same Wi-Fi name and password, the hacker can trick users into connecting to the fake network, which allows the attacker to intercept network traffic and gain access to sensitive information.

IoT Vulnerabilities: Generally, home Internet of Things (IoT) devices like cameras, smart TVs, and thermostats don't operate on an encrypted network, meaning that it's easier for them to be compromised. If a hacker gains access to it, it becomes significantly easy for them to access the data on the entire network.

Brute Force Attack: One of the oldest forms of hacking, using this method, a hacker tries out all possible combinations of a password to try and gain access to a network. This method generally relies on the assumption that the Wi-Fi password isn't too complex or lengthy.

Besides this, make sure you also change the router's admin name and password. These are credentials you use to get to the router's settings. Make sure you have a complex username and a strong administrative password.

Turn off Features That Compromise Security

Some features in routers can provide you with a lot of convenience but can be a nightmare for your privacy. Let's take a look at some of the features in your router that you should disable.

  • Wi-Fi Protected Setup: While WPS can simplify the connection process, it's a security nightmare in disguise. It uses a PIN for authentication between devices. This pin is prone to brute force attacks, making WPS an easy way for hackers to access your network.
  • Universal Plug and Play: This feature allows applications to open and close ports to connect. Many routers enable Universal Plug and Play (UPnP), making them discoverable from WAN, which allows outsiders to connect to the network. They can then install malware on your devices, steal your information, and lock the network access of devices.
  • Remote Access: This feature allows users to access the settings of their router remotely. Even with a strong username and password, this can have a lot of security risks, mainly leaving your network vulnerable, allowing a hacker to log your information and lock you out of your network.

Disabling these features is surely going to add an extra layer of security to your home Wi-Fi network.

Set up a Guest Networks

Guest networks are essentially separate access points in a router that create isolated networks that don't interfere with the internal network that carries sensitive data. Doing this allows you to keep your main network safe since you don't have to give out any sensitive passwords.

Most modern Wi-Fi routers allow you to create a guest network that has a different name and password.

By having a guest network, you don't give access to your main network to a lot of people. This also keeps you safe from malware if one of the connected devices is infected.

Some routers allow you to create multiple guest networks. If your home has several IoT devices, we recommend creating a separate network, since IoT devices are generally less secure.

(Optional) Hide Network SSID

This is something that's going to be valuable for your network security. However, this is a feature that's crucial for wireless connections, which is why it's totally up to you if you want to do this.

The main benefit of hiding your network's SSID is that it keeps others from knowing that your Wi-Fi network is even there. By making your network harder to find, it's less likely for a hacker to try to gain access to your network.

Hiding your network can make it hard for legitimate devices to connect to the network, which can cause inconvenience for some users. They will have to manually enter the network name and password when they try to connect to the network. Some networks can also disable the auto-connect feature meaning that users have to enter the details every time they wish to connect to the network.

Other Tips to Keep Yourself Secure on Your Home Network

Here are a few bonus tips to make sure you stay safe when connected to a network:

  • Sign up for an internet provider, that offers additional security features.
  • Use a secure VPN that doesn't log their user's data.
  • Use complex and long passwords where you can.
  • Set up a firewall and use antivirus software.
  • Update the firmware on your devices and router.

This isn't all. There are a lot of other things you can do to make sure you're as safe as you can be. Besides securing your network using encryption and disabling features, you should adopt safe online browsing practices. A lot of services also collect their user's data for advertising. Try to eliminate these services or use a privacy-focused alternative.