How to Secure a Home WiFi Network for Remote Work
Here at JumpCloud, security is built into everything we do. In light of recent events, many of our customers and partners have been looking for guidance on how to maintain network security during a shift toward remote work. Here are six concrete steps for securing a home network that you can share with your employees, straight from one of our own security engineers, Philip Deuchler.
1. Own your router and modem instead of renting.
Whoever controls your router and modem controls your network. If you don’t own your router or modem, you’re giving someone else that control. Data from every internet-connected device in your home passes through your modem/router, and internet service providers (ISPs) have been known to sell data collected from their rented devices. And the benefits of buying your own modem/router go beyond security: you can usually make your money back within a year if you buy instead of rent.
Your ISP’s website should have a list of compatible modems. This page is also a good resource for researching router capabilities.
2. Keep your router up to date.
Most modem/router combos make updates easy via a web-based settings panel. Outdated router firmware is a major vector for attackers, especially if you combine that with an insecure internet-connected appliance (think smart home / internet-of-things products like Ring cameras, internet-connected Roombas, WiFi-enabled dryers, etc.).
You can update practically any router by visiting the router’s IP address in a web browser and logging into its admin console. You can almost always find the IP address and default credentials labeled on the bottom of the router. If you’re having trouble finding the default credentials, you can usually turn them up in a quick Google search. And if you’ve changed the credentials before and since forgotten them, you can do a hard reset and then use the default creds. Once you’re logged in, all you should have to do is find the router’s settings menu and click the update button.
3. Ensure your router admin credentials are secure.
If you can still log into your router’s (Read more...)
*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Blog – JumpCloud authored by Mike Ranellone. Read the original post at: https://jumpcloud.com/blog/secure-home-wifi-remote-work
