Are you aware of the fact that 24.7% of the Wi-Fi hotspots do not use any form of encryption? If you wish to connect to a public network, you can. But, you must make sure that you have a VPN installed in your device.
In this blog, we won’t be discussing public networks. Instead, we will take a look at how to keep your Wi-Fi secure at your house and an organisation. If you need information security assignment help, you will get valuable pointers from the steps below.
Enforce Strong Encryption
In the wake of the recent ransomware attacks and unauthorised breach, the need for more robust encryption is on the rise. Multiple encryption languages such as WPA2, WPA, and WEP are being utilized to encrypt the Wi-Fi network traffic. In addition to this, TKIP (Temporary Key Integrity Protocol) and AES can be used for the Wi-Fi network as well.
In fact, the Advanced Encryption Standard is used by the USA government to keep its documents classified. Now, WPA3 is set to replace WPA2 on a global scale. The security measures will increase manifolds, and it would be near to impossible for hackers to find a way to break into the network.
Applying A Strong Combination of Alphanumeric Characters
As far as setting the password is concerned, it is wise to use a strong combination of alphanumeric characters. Moreover, you should mix it up. For instance, you should definitely use the higher case and lower case characters. And, you can also use symbols so that it will be difficult on the part of the hackers to crack the code.
Usually, it is stated that the password should be 18-20 characters long. And it is good practice to change the password frequently, at least 4 to 5 times during a year. Moreover, you can create a strong passphrase using the AES and WPA-2 settings. If it helps, you can even take inspiration from the online password generators.
Keep Your Router in the Middle of the Room
You don’t want to provide Internet access to people outside your corporation or home, right? Then I suggest that you keep the wireless router more towards the center of the room. This will also help you ward off the malicious activities if your network falls into hackers’ hands.
This is the main reason that big establishments often keep two or more sets of networks for guests, employees, and administrators. Furthermore, it is important that you take care of the unchecked access points. All the unused ports should be closed, and the used ports should be guarded with firewalls. This is how you keep vulnerable access points at check.
Create a Robust Firewall
There are hardware firewalls as well as built-in firewalls. These act as barriers against any unauthorized access. If the internal firewall is disabled by any chance, you have to log into the router’s administrative console. If you find a page labeled Firewall, just click on the enable option.
If you are curious, you should know that firewalls employ packet filtering in most cases. It takes a look at the header of the packet to find the addresses (source and destination). With adequate development, the software firewall is getting smarter. It asks the users whether it should block or allow traffic if it is unknown.
Employ a VPN
A virtual private network is considered to be the best option for masking your IP address. Thus, if a person has any intention of tracing your IP for conducting malicious activities, he won’t find it. As per the latest research, it was found that 26% of Internet users rely on VPN services. However, the number should increase, given the fact that a lot of people are susceptible to unwanted online attacks.
When you establish a VPN service, you can deliver and receive data without worrying about third-party users prying on your data. If you are intrigued, the VPN makes use of the Dynamic DNS account to make a connection to the router. You can try out VPN routers such as Linksys WRT 3200 ACM router, Asus RT-AC86U router, etc.
Switch off the DHCP Server
For further safety, it is always recommended to turn off the router when you are not using it. You can take it up a step further and disable the DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) functionality. Since it is not static IP, it doesn’t require any password to connect to the router through Wi-Fi. Instead, you can personalize your own settings (manual network settings). Following this, you have to enter the IP address, default gateway, subnet mask, etc.
If you want to maximize router security perimeter, disabling remote access can prevent intruders from uploading a malicious program. Otherwise, he can acquire control of the router. That is, he can gain the system name as well as the IP address and trace the packets. So, it is your duty to see that the hackers do not get access from the remote systems.
Last but not least, it is extremely important that you update the router software from time to time. The updates consist of enhanced security protocols, which will fend off any malicious activities. Reboot the router once you are done updating the firmware.
Hackers are a nuisance to society, and they are always up to no good. They keep finding ways to procure valuable information only to harass the corporate firms and innocent people. Thus, you need to take matters into your hand to take a stand against them by following the Wi-Fi security measures stated above.
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