How to Keep Your Home Computer Network Safe

The emergence of COVID-19 changed our way of working completely. To keep companies operating during the shutdown, many allowed employees to work from home. With the decline of COVID-19, some employees have continued to work from home, whether it is full-time or part-time. If you are working from home or just want peace of mind with everyday Internet use, it is important to keep your home network secure.

Device Updates

An easy step to increase the security of your network is to keep your devices up to date. You should make sure that any device connected to your network is updated as soon as a new update is available.

Firewalls

Install a software-based firewall onto every computer on your network. Installing a physical-based firewall is another step you can implement that will increase your security. Most computers have an anti-malware or virus protection system preinstalled. If not, it is highly recommended that you install one.

Personal Router

Depending on your setup, you can also install a personal router where you configure your own security settings for another level of security. When installing the router, you should change your password from the default and then rename the SSID which is the name of your network. It is also a good idea to create a restricted guest network which will limit the level of access users connected to your network will have.

Keep Uninvited Users Away

Unwarranted users should not have access to your router. A malicious user can attempt to connect to your router physically or intercept a remote connection to the administration account. To prevent this, keep your router in a secure location and disable any remote connection to the administration account.

Encryption

Encryption is a good method for keeping any kind of data secure. There are two commonly used

encryption methods for Wi-Fi networks called WPA2 and WPA3. WPA stands for Wi-Fi Protected Access and WPA3 provides the most secure connection. However, older computers may not detect WPA3 so choose the one that is compatible with your network devices.

Mitigate Human Errors

The number one way to inadvertently have malware (software designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system) installed on your network is through human error. To prevent this, there are some best practices you can follow. First, do not click on links in unfamiliar or suspicious emails. Software should only be downloaded from a known and trusted source. Do not provide personal information such as passwords, phone numbers, or credit card information to anyone you do not know. Never send personal information over an unsecured line.

Protect Passwords

Password protection is also extremely important for security. A good password plan starts by

downloading a well-known and reviewed password manager. The password manager will allow you to create unique passwords for everything and safely stores them for easy access. Never write them down on a sticky note or notebook. Create strong passwords that do not include real words while including various numbers, letters, and special symbols that are not easy to guess. Whenever multi-factor authentication is available, use it for an even stronger level of security.

By implementing these common security protocols, it will increase the security of your home network and ease your peace of mind.

Let us know how we can help your community bank be more secure.