Weekend Prep: Secure Your Home Network and Smart Devices
As we head into the weekend, it's a good time to review your home cybersecurity. This week, we saw stories about AI being used in phishing and coding tools leaking data, but for most of us, the immediate risks are closer to home: our routers and smart devices.
Many homes now have smart speakers, cameras, and doorbells. These devices are convenient, but if they're not updated, they can be exploited by criminals to spy on you or to launch attacks on others. The first step is your router. Change the admin password if you've never done it. Use a long, unique passphrase, not the default one printed on the box. Also, ensure your Wi-Fi uses WPA2 or WPA3 encryption. If your router only supports WEP, ask your provider for a newer model.
Next, check your smart devices for firmware updates. Most have an app where you can see if an update is available. Do this tonight. If a device is no longer supported and doesn't get updates, consider replacing it or putting it on a separate guest network to isolate it from your main devices.
Data breaches are another concern. This week, a data broker lost its domains after a privacy fight, reminding us that our personal data is out there. You can check if your email has been in a breach at haveibeenpwned.com. If it has, change that password and enable two-factor authentication wherever possible.
Finally, back up your important files. Use an external drive or a cloud service, and make sure backups happen automatically. That way, if your device is lost, stolen, or hit by ransomware, you won't lose everything.
Your takeaway for this weekend: back up your data and update your router firmware. Stay safe online.
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