Whilst technological advancement is usually discussed in positive terms. It has also contributed to the rise of cyber and identity theft. In the U.S. alone, nearly 60 million citizens have been affected by sophisticated identity theft techniques. As a result, this number continues to rise with every passing year. WiFi Network is a key element of every business Nowadays.
This is why governments and business throughout the world are continuing to invest in more robust levels of cybersecurity, which has been described aptly as “the value and price of connectivity” by leading business consultants RSM.
5 Simple Steps to Make your WiFi Network Safe and Secure
Fortunately, private sector firms can also leverage the fruits of innovation to safeguard their own systems and WiFi network from the machinations of hackers. Here are five simple but innovative methods to help you achieve this objective:
1. Use Stronger Encryption
Historically, Wi-Fi access points used to offer the WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) standard of encryption. But this is woefully outdated and inadequate in the modern age.
As a result, hackers can easily gain access to a WEP-protected network, within a couple of minutes. Hence by using relatively simple techniques.
With this in mind, it’s wise to use some iteration of WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) encryption wherever possible. The WPA2 is offering the best level of protection. Businesses can also use their WPA encryption in enterprise mode. This allows each user to have their own unique username and password.
2. Create a Secure WPA Password
It’s also important to be selective when choosing a password to protect your WiFi network. Motivated hacker will easily crack short and imaginative options.
Perhaps the most important thing is to ensure is that the password is long, random and features a number of different characters. Almost something that’s unique and personal to you.
Just avoid setting up your network and hardware with its default settings. Whether this applies to the admin name or the password that may be printed on the back of a router.
Of course, these steps may not be enough to stop the most sophisticated hackers breach your network. But they make it far harder for people to achieve this goal.
3. Check for Rogue Access Points
Rogue access points present a significant security risk, as whilst they haven’t recognised as official Wi-Fi access points. Therefore, they create considerable vulnerability throughout your network.
They’re typically created by employees who work from home, or by staff members who connect to the network using mobile devices such as a personal smartphone.
In some instances, they had created by hackers who have entered your building and connected to an Ethernet point. Although this is hard to do in well-secured offices.
Either way, you have no control over these access points or their configuration. So you’ll need to regularly scan for them using specialist software and a secure device like a laptop or a smartphone.
4. Create a Unique Network for Guests
When you have guests attend your office, it’s easy to afford them access to your company Wi-Fi for the duration of their stay.
However, this creates a significant security risk and a potential rogue access point. So it makes far more sense to develop a dedicated guest network. That protects your business WiFi Network and most sensitive data.
This also provides your guests with a Wi-Fi connection that they can use safely and securely. This is something that casts your venture in a favourable light.
Just be sure to turn on WPA protection for your guest network. As otherwise this will remain open and prevent you from controlling who’s able to access it.
5. Hide your Network Name
Last but not least, we close with a simple but effective suggestion that makes it harder for hackers to steal your company data.
Whilst Wi-Fi access points are usually configured by default to broadcast the name of even secure wireless network (known as the SSID). This makes it visible to hackers who then only need to bypass the password in order to gain access.
This can be set to hidden, However, meaning the name and easy access have been given to only employees and trusted individuals.
At the same time, this prevents individuals from easily identifying your network’s SSID, safeguarding your business from attacks by opportunists.