Ah, the good old days. Remember back when the extent of protecting your personal information was based on owning a home paper shredder and not throwing away mail or documents with sensitive material printed on it?
Yes, gone are the days of simple dumpster diving to steal identities. Now if someone wants to set their eyes on your banking or other private data, they just hack right into your online devices—sometimes from the comfort of your own home network. So, what can you do to keep your network more secure? We’re glad you asked.
Don’t Think It Can’t Happen
According to the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), citizens are often unsuspecting that their home networks could be at risk. There’s an assumption that their home network is too insignificant to be in jeopardy of a cyberattack. Many home users also mistakenly believe devices they purchase readily feature enough security to keep them from being hacked.
It’s important to understand, any network that connects to the internet can be vulnerable—even the smallest home setup.
Stay Updated
Don’t ignore your computer or device when it tells you updates are available. Updates for software often include security patches and fixes for new threats that are found. Modern software applications normally notify you when new updates are released. Running the updates is usually fast and easy, so there’s no reason not to.
Change Factory-Set Passwords And Usernames
When you purchase new devices, be sure to change any pre-set passwords and usernames. They are designed to simplify setup, but they are usually not private to only your device. Be sure to create a strong, personalized password that cannot be easily guessed. Remember, all someone needs to do is check out your social media pages to find names of family, pets, birthdates, anniversaries, or other personal information to easily gain an idea of what your password might be if it contains any of this type of information.
Antivirus Software
Most people know the importance of using antivirus software. It can protect against and remove viruses, malware, and ransomware, saving you from the headache of malicious attacks on your devices. Be sure automatic detection and updates are enabled when you install it. Having out-of-date antivirus security is almost as bad as having none at all.
Wireless Security
Your router is the hub of your home network. Wireless security of your router is essential for your network’s protection. An unsecured network can be targeted by unintended users to piggyback on or worse. Your browsing history and personal information files are more easily accessible.
If you own your own router, doing things like reducing your wireless signal beyond your home’s perimeter, keeping your firmware up to date, and being sure your network is not public are all things you can do to increase security.
Or—GVEC Internet Internet subscribers could let us worry about that for them.
Let GVEC Internet Help Secure Your Network
When you rent a router from GVEC Internet, our technicians configure your router securely for you. We routinely update system security, so you don’t have to worry about staying on top of keeping it current yourself. Additionally, our customer service team is able to access and troubleshoot GVEC Internet routers remotely, so if needed, issues can be found and resolved. And if for some reason the router needs replacement, we’ll configure a new one for you, so you don’t have to purchase one and set up your own security from scratch.
In this day and age, do all you can to keep the devices and access to your home network safeguarded, including renting a GVEC Internet router. Just give us a call at 800-699-4832.
