The world of home networking is changing. New devices that connect to the internet, like smart speakers and video game consoles, have opened up new avenues for cybercriminals to attack your network.
While these attacks may not be as common or dramatic as they were in the past, they still pose a real threat to your online security.
In this post, we’ll outline 13 common home network security threats and how you can protect yourself from them using a combination of hardware and software solutions.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| – Protect your home network from cyber threats with secure passwords and firmware updates. |
| – Don’t neglect physical security measures like securing your router and restricting access to devices. |
| – Avoid common home security and network mistakes, such as using default passwords and outdated equipment. |
| – Stay informed about emerging threats, and seek expert advice when in doubt. |
| – Use the right tools and technologies, such as home security systems and antivirus software, to help keep your home and network safe. |
Phishing
Phishing is when someone sends you an email that looks like it comes from a legitimate company, but it’s actually trying to trick you into handing over your personal information.
The easiest way to protect against phishing is simply by not opening emails from unknown senders or clicking on links in those emails unless you know for sure where they’re from.
You should also be careful about giving personal information to anyone over the phone—even if they claim to be calling on behalf of your bank or credit card company.
There are some additional steps you can take as well:
Don’t give out your password (or any other sensitive data) unless signing up for an account at a reputable site like Amazon or Facebook.
Join anti-phishing groups such as Consumer Reports’ Safe Shopping Network These organizations will alert their members whenever there’s been an actual breach of security at a site that could potentially affect them personally (e.g., if someone hacked into their account).
This can help avoid any confusion between fake and real sites, which may lead users into accidentally giving up sensitive information unnecessarily
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Data Breach
Data breaches are a cyber attack that exposes sensitive information. A data breach can happen to anyone, from small businesses to large corporations.
Data breaches are a major threat of home networks as well because they typically have lots of valuable data that hackers would like to steal.
One way to protect yourself from data breaches is by encrypting your files with the free software VeraCrypt. In addition, you should create strong passwords for all of your accounts and change them regularly (ideally every 60 days).
If you’re having trouble remembering these passwords or creating secure ones, there’s an app for this too: LastPass stores all your login credentials in one place so you don’t have to remember them!
Keeping your home network secure is more important than ever in today’s digital age. Fortunately, with our guide on how to secure your home network like a pro, you can learn how to protect against cyber threats and prevent unauthorized access to your sensitive data.
Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
Remote desktop protocol, or RDP for short, is a proprietary Microsoft protocol that allows users to connect remotely to another computer over a network connection.
By entering the appropriate credentials, you can log in from anywhere and access your desktop in real time as if you were sitting at it. It’s a handy feature that makes it easy to transfer files and make quick changes without having to leave home.
Unfortunately, RDP has become known as one of the most vulnerable protocols on the Internet. Because it relies on port 3389 (TCP) and supports weak authentication methods such as NTLMv1 and CredSSP v1/v2 without failover protection, an attacker could compromise your system by brute forcing login credentials or exploiting flaws within Windows itself using Mimikatz.
Wireless Routers
Wireless routers are some of the easiest devices to hack, and they’re ubiquitous in most homes. But you can protect yourself by changing your default password and using a VPN, firewall, or security suite.
To protect yourself from wireless router threats:
Change your default router password right away—it’s easy and free! If you can’t remember it after doing so, use a password manager like 1Password or LastPass instead (see below).
Use a VPN to encrypt all outgoing traffic from your home network before it leaves the network through the router.
This will prevent hackers from stealing data while it travels between your computer and other devices on the internet, such as watching movies or listening to music!
Stress Points
Stress points are places in your network where a hacker can gain access to your network. Stress points are often overlooked by home users, but they can be the key to protecting your privacy, information and devices.
Let’s start with the obvious: stress points include weak passwords. Weak passwords are those that have been stolen or cracked by hackers, making it easier for them to enter your device or account without you knowing it and once they’re in there, they might do anything from stealing information to sending spam emails on behalf of their victims!
Another example of a stress point is when you have an unsecured WiFi connection set up at home.
Hackers use these types of connections as entryways into networks because so many people use them; this makes hacking easier for them than if they had to hack into specific devices themselves (which is much more difficult than just using someone else’s unsecured AP).
Is your home network not performing as well as it should be? You may be making one of these 15 common home network mistakes. From using outdated equipment to neglecting firmware updates, we cover all the common pitfalls and provide actionable tips to avoid them.
Password Theft
Password theft is a common threat to home networks and as such it’s important to understand how your passwords can be stolen.
The most common way that people often have their passwords stolen is through phishing attacks.
A phishing attack is when malware, keyloggers or Trojans are installed on your computer which then steal all of the information stored in your browser such as usernames and passwords.
Another way that people can have their passwords stolen is by social media accounts being hacked into by hackers who then take advantage of any saved credentials from these sites like Facebook or Twitter to access other accounts associated with them such as email addresses and bank details for example.
Finally it’s possible for someone to use brute force cracking tools against web servers where they try different combinations of letters until one matches up with what they’re trying to get access too so make sure that security software like antivirus software is installed alongside firewalls in order protect yourself against this kind of threat!
| Threat | Description |
|---|---|
| Phishing Scams | Scammers may use fake emails or websites to obtain your login credentials and steal your passwords. |
| Credential Stuffing | Cybercriminals can use stolen passwords from one site to gain access to other sites where you use the same password. |
| Keyloggers | Malicious software that records keystrokes can be used to steal login credentials and other sensitive information. |
| Weak Passwords | Passwords that are too short or use common words make it easier for hackers to guess or brute-force their way into your account. |
| Password Reuse | Using the same password across multiple accounts can be dangerous, as a breach on one account can expose many others. |
Note: This is not an exhaustive list of all password theft threats, but rather a few common examples specific to home network security.
Outdated System and Antivirus Software
One of the biggest threats to home networks is outdated system and antivirus software. The most common cause of data breaches is outdated antivirus software, which can easily be fixed with a few clicks on your computer or phone.
If you don’t know where to start, check out our article “5 Reasons Why Antivirus Software Is Important For Your Home Network” for more information about why it’s so important to have an up-to-date antivirus program on your home network.
It’s important that everyone in your household regularly updates their computers, tablets, phones and other devices as well as their systems and applications (including Google Chrome). It’s also crucial that everyone has strong passwords that are changed frequently!
No one wants to fall victim to a home security breach, but many homeowners make common mistakes that can leave their property vulnerable. To make sure you’re not making any of these common errors, check out our article on the most common home security mistakes to avoid for expert advice on safeguarding your home.
Mobile Devices
Your mobile devices are a major part of your home network and can be targeted by hackers in a variety of ways.
Hackers can steal data from your device or use it to access other devices on the network, so it’s important to take precautions when using them with public Wi-Fi networks and other internet connections.
The most common threats that you might encounter are:
Data Theft: Hackers may attempt to gain access to personal information stored on your device such as banking details and passwords. They could also install malware onto your device which can give them access at any time they wish once installed.
Malware/Virus/Spyware: These programs will try their best not only infecting one machine but spreading all over every device connected to it through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth like an epidemic until there’s nothing left standing in its way!
Make sure all apps you download have been thoroughly tested before installing them because otherwise someone else could’ve done some testing for themselves first…and maybe not told anyone about what happened afterwards.”
| Threat | Description |
|---|---|
| Unsecured Devices | Mobile devices that don’t have secure passwords or PINs can easily be hacked if lost or stolen. |
| Unsecured Networks | Connecting to public Wi-Fi networks can put your mobile device at risk, as these networks are often unsecured and can be used by hackers to intercept your online activity. |
| Malware and Viruses | Malicious software can infect your mobile device and cause harm to your system. Common forms of mobile malware include adware, spyware, and ransomware. |
| Outdated Operating Systems | Using an outdated operating system can leave your mobile device vulnerable to security breaches and cyber attacks. |
| Malicious Apps | Some apps, particularly those downloaded from third-party app stores, may contain malware or other malicious code that can harm your mobile device or steal your personal information. |
Note: This is not an exhaustive list of all mobile device security threats, but rather a few common examples.
Denial of Service (DoS) Attack
You’ve probably heard about denial of service (DoS) attacks before, but if you’re not sure what they are or why they present a threat to your home network, here’s a quick overview.
A DoS attack is an attempt by one party to make another’s computer or network resource unavailable by saturating it with traffic.
This can be done through various methods, such as sending a massive amount of requests to a server in order to overwhelm it and make it unavailable for legitimate users; using malware on compromised computers to flood targets with requests; or even just blasting out random traffic until the target loses connection altogether.
The most common form of DoS attack comes from single individuals who use their own computer power a botnet to carry out the assault against their chosen target(s).
These types of attacks can also be carried out by groups of people acting together (for instance, against an online game), though these tend not to be as effective due to the difficulty involved in coordinating so many computers.
And finally there are instances where state actors may engage in cyber warfare against other countries’ critical infrastructure systems: examples include Israel allegedly attacking Iranian nuclear facilities via Stuxnet worms and Russia allegedly tampering with U . S . voting machines during recent elections .
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Insecure IoT devices
Insecure IoT devices are a major security threat. The truth is that most people don’t really know how to secure their home network against this threat, but there are some simple things you can do to protect yourself from these attacks.
The first thing to note is that most IoT devices aren’t secured at all. If you buy a new smart device, it will probably not be secured out of the box with any sort of password or encryption and will likely be running outdated firmware.
This makes them vulnerable to being used in man-in-the-middle attacks where hackers can intercept traffic going between your device and other servers on the Internet, allowing them access and control over any data passing through those connections (like passwords).
Your router might also have an open port that allows anyone who knows how to find it through a scanning tool like Shodan (a searchable database of internet connected devices).
Social Engineering Tactics And Scams
Social engineering is a form of psychological manipulation that uses deception to manipulate people into performing actions or divulging confidential information.
It often involves tricking people into breaking normal security procedures, such as opening an email attachment or clicking on a link in an unsolicited email message.
Social engineering tactics include:
- Boiler room scam
- Phishing (fishing) for passwords and personal information by using fake websites and emails that pretend to be from reputable companies, such as banks and online retailers
- Lottery scam
Malware and Viruses, Exploits and Trojans
Malware, viruses, exploits and trojans are some of the most common threats to your home network.
Malware is any software that can be used for malicious purposes. A virus is a piece of malware that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to the next on a network.
An exploit takes advantage of vulnerabilities in your operating system or software that runs on it to install malware or cause damage to your computer.
A Trojan horse pretends to be legitimate software while secretly downloading additional malicious files onto your system once you begin using it or opening it up (for example by clicking on an email attachment).
Trojans are designed specifically to appear like harmless applications so users will install them without realizing they’ve been compromised by an attacker’s malware code this means that users could unknowingly be sharing sensitive information with an outside party without ever knowing what happened until long after the fact!
| Type of Threat | Description |
|---|---|
| Malware and viruses | Malicious software that can infect devices on your network and cause harm to your system. Examples include Trojan horses, spyware, and ransomware. |
| Exploits | Vulnerabilities in the code of your software or devices that can be exploited by hackers to gain unauthorized access to your network. |
| Trojans | A type of malware that disguises itself as legitimate software, but can be used to gain unauthorized access to your system or steal sensitive data. |
Note: This is not an exhaustive list of all home network security threats, but rather a few common examples.
Conclusion
With these threats in mind, you can take steps to protect yourself and your home network.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources you may find helpful to learn more about home security and network protection:
Ten ways to prevent insider security threats: This in-depth article explores strategies for mitigating insider security threats, from implementing access controls to conducting regular security training.
Top 5 network security threats: Learn about the most common network security threats and how to prevent them in this informative article.
How to Secure Your Computer from Hackers: With cyber attacks on the rise, it’s more important than ever to secure your computer from potential threats. This article provides practical advice for protecting your machine and data.
FAQs
What are the most common home network security threats?
Some of the most common home network security threats include malware and viruses, DDoS attacks, phishing scams, and router vulnerabilities.
How can I protect my home network from cyber threats?
To protect your home network from cyber threats, you can take several steps such as using strong passwords, updating firmware regularly, enabling two-factor authentication, and installing antivirus software.
What is an insider security threat?
An insider security threat is any security breach or malicious activity that originates from within an organization. This can include employees, contractors, or former employees who have access to sensitive information or systems.
How can I prevent insider security threats?
To prevent insider security threats, you can implement access controls, conduct regular security training, monitor user activity, and maintain clear security policies that are enforced consistently.
What should I do if I suspect a security breach?
If you suspect that your home network or computer has been compromised, you should immediately disconnect from the internet and all other connected devices, run a virus scan, and contact your internet service provider for further assistance. You may also need to change your passwords and alert any financial institutions or other entities that may have been affected.
Hi there! I’m Hellen James and I’m a writer and editor with a passion for home technology. I’ve been working in this field for over 10 years, so I know what it’s like to be a part of the growing field of smart home technology. I’ve written about everything from how to choose the right smart thermostat to what the best smart doorbell is for your needs.
