Defending Against the Most Common Wireless Network Attacks

Cybercrime has become a massive problem for businesses in recent years —  organizations must take precautions before it’s too late. After all, some of the most well-known companies in the US have become subject to large-scale cyber attacks over the last decade, including the 2013 Target data breach in which hackers exposed a staggering 40 million credit and debit card numbers. 

With cybercrime unlikely to disappear any time soon, it’s now clear that businesses, both large and small, need to do whatever it takes to keep sensitive data away from prying eyes. With that in mind, the following article will cover some of the most important steps you can take to defend against the most common wireless network attacks. Here’s everything that you need to know:

Change the Default SSID and Password

Many businesses don’t take the time to change the default SSID and password of the wireless network, making them an easy target for hackers. As a result, private information has a far greater risk of being intercepted by hackers who happen to be within the range of the network. 

If a hacker does gain access to your network with authorization, this could wreak havoc within your company. From data breaches to being held ransom by a ransomware attack — a hacker gaining access to your network is likely to cost millions. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be this way — a way to protect your digital assets is to simply change the default password that comes with your router. Changing the password will ensure that any hackers looking to gain unauthorized access to your data will find it far more challenging to do so.

Make Use of a Reliable Internet Security Package

Due to the constant threat of cybercrime, it is essential to have reliable anti-virus and firewalls installed on your company’s internet-connected devices. The same can also be said for any remote workers who need to send and receive sensitive company files from outside the business premises and on personal devices. 

By having real-time protection enabled and regular security updates applied to devices, staff will be alerted to any potential threats at the earliest possible opportunity.This will go a long way in preventing any unwanted snooping.

Use a VPN

A VPN provides end-to-end encryption for your internet-connected devices, making it one of the most effective tools for protecting against wireless network attacks. You can install a VPN on each device, or you can have one set-up on your router to provide optimal network-wide protection in the workplace.

But in any instance, when your employees are on the move, chances are that they will make use of one of many available public WiFi networks. While this offers workers the opportunity to complete important business tasks on the go, many of these networks don’t even require a password to access them. 

This places business devices in a vulnerable position, since hackers can easily intercept any information that is processed over the network. Thankfully, a reliable business VPN service will prevent this from happening — allowing your workers to send sensitive files to and from your business premises with complete peace of mind.

Educate your staff on all the latest threats

One of the biggest dangers of using WiFi networks, particularly public ones, is that usernames, passwords, encrypted messages, and other sensitive information could be easily intercepted if the necessary precautions aren’t taken. In addition to this, there are a whole host of threats lurking across the web that your staff might not necessarily be aware of.

For that reason, providing training to raise awareness of all the latest security threats is definitely the way forward. Raising awareness will ensure reduce the chances that your business will fall victim to a cyber-attack in the future, because your staff will be able to identify any warning signs. An excellent way to start is by encouraging the workforce to do the following:

• Never click on suspicious links in emails
• Only input sensitive information on websites that use HTTPS.
• Connect to a VPN server, especially when using an open network
• Ensure that security updates are applied regularly
• Turn off network discovery. Network discovery is a network setting which can let other computers on the network see your computer or let your computer find other computers and devices on the network. 

Conclusion

Although cybercrime continues to harm a countless number of businesses across the globe, there are many ways you can prevent sensitive data from ending up in the wrong hands.

Particularly as businesses are now handling a more significant amount of sensitive information than ever before, it must be protected at all costs. Thankfully, following the tips outlined throughout the article will ensure that you’ll be in a far better position when it comes to defending against common wireless network attacks.