Steps Households Can Take at Home

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CyberSecurity Month

The COVID-19 pandemic forced millions of Americans to embrace working from their own home; a concept they had limited or no experience with at the time. And while many employees have returned to the office, a recent University of Chicago study found that 72% of those workers surveyed would like to continue working from home for at least 2 days a week, and 32% said they would like to work from home permanently. In this new reality, having your household safe and secure from cyber threats needs to be a top priority.

In this increasingly wireless world, the steps households should take in terms of cybersecurity have changed. Most homes now run networks of devices linked to the internet, including computers, gaming systems, TVs, tablets, and smartphones that access wireless networks. Thus, having the right tools in place will instill confidence that your family members can use the internet safely and securely for personal and work related endeavors.

Taking simple, proactive steps to keep family, friends and yourself safe from cyber criminals inside your household should no longer be viewed as optional but rather a necessity. Between technological devices being introduced and updated at a rapid pace and employees continuing to embrace working from home in some capacity, everyone has an ethical responsibility to actively minimize the risks of breaches and attacks inside their home.

Below are 3 steps households can take to better protect themselves against cyber attacks:

1. Secure Your Wireless Router- Using a wireless router is an increasingly convenient way to allow multiple devices to connect to the internet from different areas of your home. However, unless your router is secure, you risk the possibility of individuals accessing information on your computer, and worse, using your network to commit cybercrimes. Needless to say all wireless devices using this router are vulnerable if your router is not protected.

Some simple ways to secure your wireless router:

Changing the name of your router. The default ID is typically assigned by the manufacturer, so changing your router to a unique name that won’t be easily guessed by others is a simple way to keep your router protected.
Changing the preset passphrase on your router. Leaving the default password in place makes it significantly easier for hackers to access your network. In fact, only 43% of participants reported creating long and unique passwords for their online accounts “very often” or “always”. Additionally, almost a third (28%) stated that they didn’t do this at all. Embracing unique and strong passwords is a huge and simple step to securing your home from all types of cyber threats.

2. Install Firewalls and Security Software(s) On All Devices - Essentially, Firewalls keep hackers from using your device which otherwise could result in your personal information being sent out without your permission.

Firewalls guard and watch for attempts to access your system while blocking communications with sources you don’t permit.Installation of a firewall on wireless routers is a necessity
All devices connected to the wireless network must have security software systems installed and updated
Households should make sure all devices are “ON” and for all available technology.
The most up-to-date security software(s), web browsers, and operating systems are the best defense against online threats such as viruses and malware

3. Back Up All Household Data - Households need to embrace backing up data and important information:

Make electronic copies of important files and storing them safely on cloud software and manual storage devices such as USBs and externale hard drives
The storage of data in an alternative safe and secure location provides another layer of protection