Malware to infect home and business routers is the order of the day, so it is worth bearing in mind a series of tips to keep your router updated and avoid infection.
Routers play an important role in the security of all connected devices in the home. They control the perimeter of the network, but also the traffic and the information that passes through it.
Change the password of your ‘router’
Albors has pointed out that many users still do not change the passwords with which their devices come from the factory when installing them at home. This is a “bad practice” since the default credentials can be easily found on the Internet.
In this way, You have to change both the username and the password.and try to use strong and unique passwords.
Use strong encryption on the Wi-Fi network
The ‘router’ is used at home as a Wi-Fi access point to connect to from anywhere in the home. These devices usually offer different types of encryption for Wi-Fi connections, depending on the level of security you want to use.
However, as the ESET manager points out, if weak encryption such as WEP is used, we would be exposing our network and data, so from the company recommend using more secure encryption such as WPA2 and protect them with a strong password.
Don’t broadcast your network publicly
Every Wi-Fi network has an SSID code and all ‘routers’ have one configured by default by the manufacturer. However, this SSID can be used to identify a specific ‘router’ model and the internet provider that is being used.
It is recommended, therefore, to change the SSID of the ‘router’ and hide it so that it is not visible to all devices that are looking for a Wi-Fi network to connect to. Users will have to configure the connection manually on all devices, but they will win in the security of your network.
Disable the services and functionalities that you do not use
Routers usually incorporate a series of options that allow, for example, devices to connect more easily to the wireless network using the WPS functionality without knowing the Wi-Fi password, or remote control of the router itself.
Albors advises disable all features of the ‘router’ that are not in use and explains that a scan can determine which ports and services are open, which can be an open door to an attacker.
Divide and conquer: separate the devices
Most of the modern ‘routers’ for the Internet of Things allow the creation of different networks with different purposes. A good practice is to take advantage of this feature and create separate networks, so that the most sensitive devices are as little exposed as possible.
What’s more, many routers also bring the functionality of ‘firewall’, that allows you to analyze the incoming and outgoing traffic of the device and determine which connections will be allowed and which will not.
Based on these functionalities, you can, for example, separate sensitive devices from the rest or choose which devices the user wants to share when they have guests at home and which are isolated, or separate your children’s game consoles and PCs from the rest of the net.
The objective is that the most important computers are protected in case of unauthorized access or if a ‘malware’ infection occurs, as indicated by Albors.
Keep an eye on who connects to the network
When it comes to detecting intruders or strange behavior, it is key to know how many devices are connected to the network and, especially, if the user can easily identify them.
Many ‘routers’ facilitate the identification of connected equipment since, instead of using difficult-to-understand nomenclatures such as MAC addresses, they allow you to create personalized names for each device.
In these cases, it is advisable to take a few minutes to identify the equipment and then be able to recognize them more easily, or even use a home network monitoring tool that allows us to check the devices connected to our network and also check if the ‘router’ works correctly and is up to date.
Update the ‘firmware’ of your devices
The ‘routers’ are devices that also have their own operating system (‘firmware’) and, like any other, must be updated to correct possible ‘bugs’ and vulnerabilities.
It is a good idea to periodically check the router manufacturer’s website to look for possible updates to its firmware and, if you have a vulnerable firmware installed, you can always opt for one of the available open source firmwares.
Open source versions are usually more secure than those provided by the manufacturers and some can even provide additional functions to our ‘router’.