If there is anything that scares the people living in this modern time, that is the fear of being hacked. The Internet is no longer a luxury, it has become a means of life.One can run without their meals, but cannot survive half a day without the internet. With the internet being so widely spread, wifi routers have found their way to almost every home. And this creates an easy way for hackers to get access to your gadgets. Hence it is very important to check the vulnerability of your router, if you don’t want to be explored by the hackers.
In recent times, many people’s internet-enabled devices such as routers, are sometimes almost defenseless against vulnerabilities and hacking. Now you might be thinking, “What are vulnerabilities?”They are weaknesses or loopholes in the software of an internet-enabled device exploited by malicious hackers, giving them unauthorized access to the system. In this article, we are talking about routers. Routers consist of two basic things: hardware and software. The hardware is all the parts that make the router, but the software is the real deal.
As we know, software or firmware is not a very easy thing to write, so even the experts who in the end are nothing but human beings tend to make some minor mistakes while writing this softwares, also known as bugs. And, you can always find more information about software. These bugs are minor and might not harm the software, but they act as an opening for the hackers to take advantage of the vulnerability and use it to gain unauthorized access and use it according to their own will.
To check if your router is being used by someone else, you first have to check the router itself. You check if the router is “open for all.”Open for all basically means that it can be used by everyone, and the security of the router is compromised. For security, you should add a security password to your router from the admin panel and choose the type of password you want. There are three basic types, namely WEP, WPA, and WPA2.WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy, WPA stands for WIRELESS PROTECTED ACCESS, and WPA2 is just the second version of the standard WPA.
WPA2 is the most secure out of the three, and it is a security type with ten characters. If you set your security type to WPA2, then the hackers can only break your password through brute force. There is another method in which you have to check your router logs. This way, you can check the number of devices associated with your router.
Many of the gateway routers that are used at homes are not profoundly secure. Some of the routers are vulnerable and make it easier for the attackers to attack them. If you see an unrecognizable device connected or having failed connection attempts, it is possible that they are hack attempts. You can also check for unknown SSIDS or Wi-Fi access points that are not secured. Now the main part of this article, How to know if your router is vulnerable. Well, there are many methods of doing so, some are:
Start with Vulnerability test
Wi-fi routers are connected to each device around the house, hence a single invasion of virus will cause the domino effect on all the other gadgets. It is very important to scan your router for known and unknown vulnerabilities. It is very important to know the weak points of your router and solve them, before the hackers have access to it. And to do so, make sure to do a router test.
There are various applications available, (such as https://www.f-secure.com/en/web/home_global/router-checker ) to scan your router, all you need to do is give them the access to do all the hard work for you.
Update Firmware
If you find your network vulnerable after the scan, then your next step is to update your firmware. Routers have low level software called firmware, which controls everything that a router does. Some routers can auto update the firmwares, while some need the update to be manually done. This means you got your bug fixes and latest security patches all covered.This process varies among routers but is quite easy and right within the control panel.
Update all your devices
You must update your devices that are connected to your router, with regular updates the manufacturer fixes all the bugs and updates the security, this inturn helps you to stay away from the predator who intends to spy into your devices through your wi-fi
Change Passwords
It is a game of seconds for hackers to access your internet, and you don’t even make it any difficult for them by using weak passwords. The default passwords in routers leave your network open for hackers to invade, and once inside they can simply change your settings, password and your DNS.To maintain a secure home network it is important=nt to change passwords regularly.Choose a strong password and not something weak like 123456, that could be easily guessed. We don’t want to make the hacker’s job easier. Experts recommend that changing passwords every 30 to 90 days keeps the router secure.
Security options
It is a smart choice to enable the available security option available in your router. It will do most of the task for you and will provide more security to your gadgets and network.This will allow protection against the vulnerabilities such as Dos and Win nuke, and will enhance the speed and performance of your network.
On top of this, there are various free wifi routers vulnerability scanners available in the market, such as Panda wifi protection, Avast wifi inspector which identify the vulnerability and resolve the issue on your behalf.
11,000 routers in India are vulnerable to Cyber attacks. India is in seventh position on the chart of compromised routers. On top is Brazil with 85,000 infected routers.
Conclusion
Routers became a really necessary part of our lives. make certain you get a route that you simply will perceive and simply manage. The newest routers that enter the market are simple to put in and use.
Your job never just ends with just buying yourself a connection. The Internet is a responsibility which most of the people are not aware of. The Internet builds a large unprotected chain that makes it easy for predators to find their prey.Help other internet citizens by spreading more awareness on cyber security and make sure you don’t get caught up in this trap and remain well informed.
By taking care of the steps mentioned above, it’s easier to reduce the risk of your Wi-Fi device joining a malicious network automatically, being tracked between locations, or leaking personal information. While these tips aren’t a complete guide to staying safe on Wi-Fi, they will keep you safe from several of the easiest and cheapest attacks hackers employ. In the end staying informed about the possibilities of attack is the best method of protecting your devices as they say precaution is better than cure
