Most people talking about PC security they are often referring to security on the Internet. It is just as important to take the right steps to ensure complete security on and offline.
Ensuring internet security on your home PC and home network involves a series of steps. These are aimed at protecting your data, devices, and personal information. Here’s a detailed guide:
1. Secure Your Home Network
a. Change Default Router Settings:
- Default Admin Credentials: Immediately change the default username and password of your router’s admin interface. Default credentials are well-known and easily exploitable.
- Router SSID (Network Name): Change the default name to something unique without using your personal information.
b. Use Strong Encryption:
- WPA3 or WPA2 Encryption: Ensure your Wi-Fi network uses WPA3 encryption. If your router doesn’t support WPA3, WPA2 is the next best option. Avoid using older standards like WEP, which are insecure.
c. Create a Guest Network:
- Separate Networks: Set up a separate guest Wi-Fi network for visitors. This keeps your main network more secure, isolating your devices from potential threats.
d. Disable WPS and UPnP:
- WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup): Disable WPS as it is vulnerable to brute-force attacks.
- UPnP (Universal Plug and Play): Disabling this can avoid exploitation by malware using open ports on the router.
e. Regular Firmware Updates:
- Router Firmware: Check regularly for firmware updates to your router, as these often contain important security patches.
f. Network Monitoring:
- Device Management: Regularly check what devices are connected to your network and disconnect any unfamiliar devices.
2. Secure Your Home PC
a. Use Strong, Unique Passwords:
- Password Manager: Use a password manager to create and store strong, unique passwords for all your accounts. Avoid using the same password across multiple sites.
- Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA on important accounts to add an extra layer of security.
b. Install and Update Security Software:
- Antivirus/Malware Protection: Install a reputable antivirus and malware protection suite. Keep it updated to protect against the latest threats.
- Firewall: Ensure the firewall on your computer is enabled. Consider using a software firewall for added protection.
c. Regular Software Updates:
- Operating System: Keep your OS updated with the latest security patches.
- Applications: Regularly update applications and any software that interacts online.
d. Secure Browsing Habits:
- Avoid Unexpected Websites: Be cautious browsing unfamiliar websites or clicking on unexpected links from emails.
- Use Secure Connections: Ensure websites use HTTPS for secure communication.
- Ad-Blockers and Privacy Extensions: Consider using browser extensions that block ads, trackers, and potential malware.
e. Data Backup:
- Regular Backups: Regularly back up important data to an external drive or a secure cloud service. Ensure these backups are encrypted.
f. User Account Management:
- Use Limited User Accounts: Use your PC with a limited user account for daily tasks instead of an administrator account. This limits the potential impact of malware.
3. Educate Yourself and Your Family
a. Phishing Awareness:
- Recognize Phishing Scams: Educate yourself and family members on recognizing phishing attempts. Avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading attachments from unknown senders.
b. Safe Social Media Practices:
- Limit Sharing: Be mindful of the information shared on social media platforms to avoid providing too much personal data that could be used in social engineering attacks.
4. Advanced Security Measures
a. Enable VPN:
- Virtual Private Networks (VPN): Using a VPN for accessing the internet, can help protect and maintain privacy.
b. Implement Network Segmentation:
- Separate Networks: Consider separating your home network into different sections. One for home and one for work devices.
c. Disable Remote Management:
- Remote Access: Disable remote management of your router. If you must enable it, use strong authentication and restrict access by IP address.
5. Protect IoT Devices
a. Change Default Settings:
- Default Credentials: Change default passwords and update the firmware on all IoT devices (smart cameras, thermostats, etc.) to protect against known vulnerabilities.
b. Limit Network Access:
- Isolate IoT Devices: Place IoT devices on a separate network or VLAN to prevent potential security breaches from affecting your primary devices.
6. Monitor and Respond to Threats
a. Network Activity Monitoring:
- Log Analysis: Regularly review router logs for unusual activity that may indicate an attempted breach.
- Intrusion Detection: Consider using an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) for more advanced monitoring.
b. Incident Response Plan:
- Preparedness: Have a plan in place to respond quickly if you detect a security breach, including steps to disconnect affected devices, change passwords, and restore from backups.
Summary
Implementing the above steps can enhance the security of your home PC and network.
Your home computer is a target for criminals. They want what you’ve stored there. They look for credit card numbers, bank account information, and anything else they can find. By stealing that personal information they can gain access to your personal finances and make you the victim of identity theft.
But it’s not just information they’re after. They also want your computer’s resources, meaning your hard disk space, your fast processor, and your Internet connection. By hijacking these resources they can attack other computers on the Internet.
Home PC’s, typically are not very secure. Combine this with always on (Fibre) high-speed Internet connections and criminals can quickly find and attack home PC’s.
No matter how a home PC is connected to the Internet, these sorts of attacks are often successful. Many home PC owners don’t realize how much attention to computer security is needed.
You are probably wondering how intruders break into your computer?
In some cases, they send you email with a virus. Reading that email activates the virus, allowing hackers access your computer. Logging onto your computer, they install applications, viruses and Spyware or Malware. Even after you discover that your PC has been hacked, it can be difficult to remove this software. Often disguised so it appears to operate like programs already installed on your PC.