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Secure Your Wi-Fi and Router

Secure Your Wi-Fi and Router
A home Wi-Fi router is a small electronic box that creates an internet-connected network for the devices in your home. You may refer to your router as the "modem", the "Wi-Fi" or just as the "internet". Here we refer to the device simply as a “router”.

Why You Should Secure Your Wi-Fi and Router
Many home and small office environments use a router. Routers serve as a gateway between the internet and your private digital space. Implementing security precautions is crucial in safeguarding this space, making it harder for threats to compromise your network and data. Just as you would not leave your house with all the doors wide open, you should not leave your router unprotected. An insecure router is susceptible to exploitation by cybercriminals and, due to the prevalence of wireless networking, a physical connection is not necessary for them to gain access. If cybercriminals gain access to your router it may allow them to infiltrate other devices, using your compromised systems to launch further malicious attacks. Taking simple steps to secure your router will help to prevent you, your family, your business and others from falling victim to these criminals.

Router Health Check
We recommend conducting a router health check, at least every 6 months. Put a recurring reminder in your calendar so you do not forget. At every health check, the following, at minimum, should be performed.

Ensure Your Router Has Not Reached Its End of Life Date.
Check if your router has reached its end of life. You can usually find this by searching your router model on your router manufacturer’s website. If your router has reached its end of life, replace it as a priority. If possible, replace it with a router that supports automatic firmware updates.

Check For Firmware Updates.
Routers require firmware updates to fix security issues and offer new features. Check if an update is available for your router. If your router has automatic firmware updates enabled, you can skip this step.

Check Connected Devices.
Ensure only authorized devices are connected to your Wi-Fi networks. If devices you don’t recognise are connected to your Wi-Fi, change your Wi-Fi network name and password to remove them.

Reboot Your Router.
Turn your router off at the power point and wait a few seconds before turning it on again. Rebooting your router will terminate active processes, eliminating anything malicious sitting in temporary storage.

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