Home Network Security Basics – Starts with the Router (Part 1)

Home Network Security Principles

First things first, all you will need to secure your computer, NAS and server, with the login credentials for your router. It’s usually admin/admin or admin/password, unless you have changed it. Do you know that most people skip this very important step? Just make sure that you are not one of them!

Hackers just needs to Google all the router models, key in the “default password” and Voila! – they will gain access to your network in the blink of an eye. This is how easy it is for any one to gain direct access to your network. Securing your router and your home network greatly reduces the risk of your device and corresponding info from being compromised and accessed. You can further reduce the risk of a hack by following the basic security principles detailed below:

• CHANGE out the default password
• Do not click on any suspicious links in emails or anywhere else – especially if they require redirection to your local network, for example: http://192.168.x.x
• Use random, alphanumeric passwords for both your router as well as all other devices
• Update the firmware on your router or device regularly. Turn on automatic updates, where possible
• Set routers for specified mac addresses, where possible

Following these simple security principles will go a long way towards keeping you safe online. Stopping any would-be attackers at the router level is the first and most important step towards securing your device.

Secure Your Router

Now, it is hard to provide a universal set of step-by-step guide given that there are tons of different routers out there but here is a general overview to get you started. Your router manufacturer should have a section on their website with instructions and details for your particular device.

You can login to your router by keying in the IP address in the address bar. Usually this is http://192.168.1.1 or something similar, but a quick search for your router model should pull up the information you need: the IP, default username and password.

Step 1. Login to your router and change the default password. If you have the option to change the username from “admin”, do so as well. Attackers use automated tools to scan networks, so changing “admin” to something else injects a little more ‘complexity’ to those attacks.

Step 2. Disable WPS if your router has this feature. Refrain from using WPS as it makes life much easier for hackers.

Step 3. Enable HTTPS login if that is available (NOTE: every device comes with a unique set of rules so it is impossible to offer a universal set of instructions). This encrypts your connection when accessing your router’s configuration page. Disable traditional HTTP and only use HTTPS whenever possible.

Step 4. Ensure remote access is disabled unless you know exactly what you are doing. Remote access allows you to login from anywhere and opens your device up for attack.

Step 5. Enable WPA2 encryption for your wireless network and select a long, random passphrase. Choose a passphrase that even the NSA are unable to crack, which means your name, birthdates, QWERTY, 12345678 are OUT, unfortunately.

Step 6. Update your router’s firmware. Enable automatic updating if your router supports it.

Step 7. Enable logging so that in the event something happens, you have a record to retrace and track the problem down.

This is pretty much it for router security basics. Now that you have locked your network down, securing your device will be up next.

Stay tuned.

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