District 91 Cybersecurity Home Recommendations
Essential Cybersecurity Tips to Safeguard Your Home Network
In today’s digital world, your home network is the gateway to your personal and financial information—so why leave it unprotected? Cyber threats are constantly evolving, but with a few proactive steps, you can keep hackers at bay. From enabling multi-factor authentication and securing your WiFi network to tracking your apps and limiting social media exposure, these essential cybersecurity practices help fortify your digital life. Think of it as locking your doors and windows—only in the online world. Stay vigilant, stay updated, and take control of your home’s cyber safety today!
Enable Multi Factor Authentication:
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) calculates that having multi factor authentication on your device cuts down on the chances of it being hacked by up to 99% and recommends it as the number one thing to do to minimize your device being compromised. Apps such as Microsoft Authenticator or DUO are available on both IOS and android devices, allowing you to enter a password and then press a button on your mobile device to log in. A video guide for Microsoft Authenticator can be found here:
Restrict Access:
Each internet capable device has a Media Access Control (MAC) address, a unique name the device goes by on a network. Many wireless routers allow tracking and restriction options for allowed devices on your network and many routers allow for the creation of a guest network. Monitoring and controlling the devices you allow on your network allows you to keep your primary credentials (such as your internet password) safe. Check your specific router for how to. A generic video guide can be found here:
Update your OS and Firewall software frequently:
Windows and Apple have dedicated security teams who regularly update Windows and MacOS with security updates to ensure that past viruses and malware are caught and mitigated before they can infect your system. By regularly updating your system or letting it auto update you ensure that those protections are there for more recent threats. A video guide on how to manually update windows can be found here:
Secure your WIFI Network:
Change the default username and password to access your wifi router. Many internet service providers use a default login to their routers, making access to your home internet very easy. By changing this you limit the ability for malicious actors to log in to your systems. For more information about protecting your home network, check CISA’s Securing Wireless Networks page here:
Securing Wireless Networks page here:
Be cautious when File Sharing:
Disable file sharing when not needed and when downloading files ensure it is from a trusted source. Files can carry malware, ransomware, and other malicious programs or code that can be installed on your computer when you download a file or run a program from a downloaded file. You should always choose to only allow file sharing over home or work networks, never on public networks. You may want to consider creating a dedicated directory for file sharing and restrict access to all other directories. In addition, you should password protect anything you share. A video on how to password protect your Windows files can be found here
Track your Apps:
Many applications and devices may be running in the background of your computer or device, sending data and tracking information out using permission you may not have realized you granted and gathering your personal information without your knowledge while also putting your identity and privacy at risk. Check your app permissions and delete what you don’t need or no longer use. Learn to just say no to privilege requests that don’t make sense. Only download apps from trusted vendors and sources.
What goes on the internet stays on the internet. Pictures, stories, and other personal information placed on your social media may be accessible to hackers and other malicious actors to build a profile about you and your family. Posts that seem innocuous may give clues to usernames and passwords or the answers to security questions for non related websites or allow patterns of life tracking. Once you put it out there it can be used and the internet will ALWAYS remember it.