While the internet is not a physical location, it can still pose a substantial threat to things that matter if you aren’t careful. If your home internet connection is compromised, you could face serious security issues with your home internet and your day-to-day internet browsing could be at serious risk for interception. If you are looking for ways to increase the security of your home internet connection, look no further.
Spam emails offering deals that are too good to be true are all too common. The best thing you can do to prevent yourself from falling victim to a scam is recognizing that they exist and keeping that in mind whenever you interact with someone you have never met. This is not restricted to the internet, either, as there are scammers that like to use phone calls and snail mail as well.
A VPN can be a great way to make sure that connections to websites cannot be traced back to your home IP address. VPNs work by utilizing a private network to enhance anonymity online. You still need to be careful, of course, if you want to keep your information anonymous; associating your VPN connection with particular accounts and usernames that you use without VPNs will de-anonymize you to some extent, for example. There are also ways to order packages anonymously, such as through ShipAnon, and taking advantage of such services can keep your payment information anonymous as well.
Many routers have ways to encrypt your information through basic security protocols like WEP or WPA, but it is always worth it to make sure your router’s encryption is up to date if you think it might be a target for people who might leech off of your connection. Some routers are at lower risk than others, though, so if you are currently using an outdated encryption method you won’t necessarily have already had your information compromised.
Someone has to know your internet connection is there at all before they can begin to hack it. Internet routers will usually broadcast an SSID by default so you, the owner, can find and connect to it. You can still connect to a router if it isn’t publicly broadcasting an SSID, though, so if you want to keep it away from prying eyes you can disable this functionality.
If your router is running on outdated software, it could have some easily exploitable security flaws. Unlike many other kinds of software, though, updates are not usually made automatically so you will likely have to seek them out yourself. It may also be worth considering whether or not you are experiencing a high signal-to-noise ratio, which should also be taken into account if you are deciding to look at internet plans for different internet providers if you need a minimum connection speed.
Internet service providers, VPNs, and encryption software can only do so much to help you if you download and run a bad piece of software. If you download a program that gives malicious software access to your computer, then you risk everything your computer has access to- including your internet connection. Consider installing a firewall to help you identify questionable software.
One of the most basic ways to hack a computer or internet connection is to simply guess a password or two. If you keep a hard-to-guess password between potential hackers and your internet connection, brute-force methods become far less practical for hacking.
Keeping as much information to yourself as you can when using the internet is going to be your best bet at keeping your information out of other people’s hands. Whether you want to compare internet plans with iSelect and give your home internet a complete speed and security overhaul or you just want to shore up a couple of things here and there, one of the most important ways to stay safe is to remain aware of the dangers that exist and remaining wary of them.
