United Kingdom
Canada
07 April 2020
All connected devices in the home access the internet through a common point, the router. There is an assumption that they are always secure, but in reality this is not always the case
Home network attacks
Many of the popular routers have vulnerabilities. For example, if a hacker can log onto your Wi-Fi network, they can access all Wi-Fi run devices in the home and monitor your web traffic.
You can protect yourself and your family by taking simple steps like changing the default passwords on your smart home devices.
How to manage the risk
- Check with your broadband provider that the core software or firmware on the router is the latest version.
- Ask how to disable WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup).
- If you use Wi-Fi signal boosters, check how they connect to your network.
- Change any factory passwords on your smart home devices.
- Remove password from back of router.
- Keep your broadband router out of sight so the password or device is not visible.
- Consider smart doorbells to capture who visits your home when you are not in (but don’t announce that you are not in).